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There are around 3,000 species of snakes worldwide. Since their emergence during the era of dinosaurs, they have adapted to a variety of environments and evolved into a vast array of unique and often bizarre forms. Here are ten of the most extraordinary and unusual snakes on Earth.
10. Elephant Trunk Snake
This peculiar snake is primarily found in Indonesia, though some closely related species can also be spotted in Australia. It is named after its unusual, wrinkled, and loose skin that creates the appearance of a snake much larger than its actual size. The large, knobby scales on its body give rise to its alternative name, the 'warty snake.' Growing up to 2.5 meters in length, the elephant trunk snake is entirely aquatic and struggles to move on land due to the absence of broad belly scales, which most snakes rely on to slither. Feeding on fish, such as catfish and eels, it doesn't possess venom, opting to constrict its prey. Its knobby scales help grip slippery fish, allowing it to secure and squeeze them underwater.
9. Tentacled Snake
This unique aquatic snake from Southeast Asia is the only surviving species of its genus. Its most striking feature is the fleshy tentacles on its snout, which serve as highly sensitive mechanosensors that help detect movement in the water, allowing it to strike at any nearby fish. Another fascinating characteristic is the tentacled snake's incredible speed— it can capture its prey in just 15 milliseconds. However, the fish it targets are incredibly quick, so the snake uses a clever tactic to trick its prey. When a fish nears, the snake subtly ripples its body, prompting the fish to swim away in panic. But the snake, expecting this, positions its head to intercept the fish as it flees. This is the only known instance of a snake that anticipates its prey's reaction and adjusts its behavior accordingly. Although venomous, the tentacled snake poses no threat to humans, as it is relatively small, measuring only around 90 cm. Like the elephant trunk snake, it is fully aquatic and struggles to move on land. You can find videos (including slow-motion footage) of the tentacled snake in action, feeding on small fish, above.
8. Long-Nosed Vine Snake
Native to Southeast Asia, the long-nosed vine snake is a highly specialized arboreal predator. Unlike most snakes, it has excellent binocular vision that allows it to strike with incredible precision. Its eyes are distinctive, featuring horizontal, keyhole-shaped pupils. The snake’s vine-like body offers camouflage from both predators and prey, and its lightweight frame allows it to move quickly through trees, even extending half of its body into the air to reach from one branch to another. Its primary diet consists of lizards and frogs. While it is venomous, its bite is not a serious threat to humans; the effects typically include pain and swelling, but these symptoms subside after a few days.
7. Langaha Nasuta
One of the strangest reptiles on Earth, the Langaha snake, also known as the leaf-nosed snake, is perfectly adapted to an arboreal lifestyle, primarily preying on lizards. Its most remarkable feature is the odd 'horn' or projection on its snout. Both males and females possess this curious ornament, but they differ significantly in appearance. Males are typically yellowish, with smooth skin and a sharp, pointed 'horn,' while females sport rough brown scales and a flat, leaf-shaped, serrated horn. This is one of the rare instances where the gender of a snake can be easily determined at first glance. Langaha nasuta is found only in the endangered rainforests of Madagascar. Though venomous, its bite is extremely painful to humans, but not life-threatening.
6. Atheris Hispida
Found in the rainforests of Central Africa, the Atheris viper is a small yet highly venomous snake, easily recognizable by its large eyes and keeled, bristle-like scales, giving it a feathered appearance—hence the common name, "feathered tree viper." These vipers can reach lengths of up to 75 cm, with males typically being longer than females, which is rare among snakes. As with all vipers, Atheris has long, retractable fangs at the front of its upper jaw. Its venom, which has no known antidote, causes severe blood clotting issues, pain, swelling, and often death. Thankfully, Atheris usually lives far from human populations, making bites exceedingly rare.
5. Horned Viper
The horned viper, native to the deserts of Northern Africa and the Middle East, is a small snake, usually no longer than 50 cm. Many horned vipers sport a pair of horns over their eyes, although some lack them completely and can be mistaken for other vipers. While venomous, their bite is rarely fatal to humans. When threatened, they produce a warning sound by rubbing their coils together before striking. The horned viper was formally described as "Cerastes cerastes" in 1768 by the Austrian naturalist Nicolaus Laurenti. The name "Cerastes" comes from a Greek mythical creature, a serpent that would lie buried beneath the sand in the desert, using its horns as bait to ambush unsuspecting animals. Interestingly, the horned viper does indeed hunt by burrowing in the sand, leaving only its horns, eyes, and nose exposed, striking at small animals like rodents and lizards. Ancient stories may have exaggerated the snake’s size and dangers, contributing to the creation of the Cerastes myth. However, the horned viper’s horns are still a mystery, as no one knows exactly what purpose they serve or why some individuals have them while others do not.
4. Burrowing Asp
I previously mentioned this snake in the Sabertoothed Creatures list, but no unusual snake compilation would be complete without it. The Burrowing Asp, a small African snake, spends the majority of its time underground. It preys on rodents and has large fangs that function much like venomous saberteeth, extending from its mouth when in use. This adaptation allows the snake to bite without opening its mouth, preventing dirt from entering during the struggle. Its fangs are flexible, capable of moving independently, enabling the snake to stab its prey sideways. After killing its victim, the snake can use its flexible fangs to adjust the prey for easier swallowing. Although venomous, Burrowing Asp bites are rarely fatal to adults, though cases of fatalities in children have been recorded. The snake’s venom has cardiotoxic and necrotic effects, and it can inject venom deeper than most snakes due to its extended fangs. Therefore, interaction with this species should be avoided.
3. Sea Snake
Sea snakes are undoubtedly the most unique of all snakes. While they are closely related to cobras and coral snakes (family Elapidae), they have evolved to live entirely in the ocean, with some species showcasing extraordinary adaptations. There are 62 recognized species, all found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are highly venomous, with some, like the Beaked Sea Snake, possessing venom up to ten times stronger than a cobra's. The Belcher's sea snake is considered the most toxic of all snake species, both marine and terrestrial. Fortunately, these snakes are usually calm, and human fatalities are extremely rare. Most sea snakes give birth to live offspring, meaning they don’t need to return to shore to lay eggs like sea turtles, with only a few species differing. As a result, they have lost the broad belly scales used by land snakes for movement, leaving them nearly helpless out of water. Some species are so adapted to aquatic life that they can absorb oxygen directly from the water through their skin. They also have specialized glands on their tongue that expel excess salt each time they flick their tongue.
There's more to discover. Since sea snakes use their venom primarily for hunting, they aim not to waste it on predators. To avoid such waste, they have developed fascinating defense mechanisms. One such species, the Yellow Lipped Sea Krait, features a yellow body, a black head, and a rounded black tail that mimics the head. When it hunts, the snake probes crevices in coral reefs with its head, making it vulnerable to predators. However, its tail, which closely resembles the head, tricks potential threats like sharks into thinking the snake is alert and ready to strike, thus deterring an attack. Yet, the most incredible of all sea snakes may be the Golden Sea Snake. This species boasts photoreceptors on its tail, enabling it to detect variations in light and potentially sense approaching predators even while feeding. Essentially, the Golden Sea Snake has some capacity to 'see' through its tail! Evolution has taken sea snakes in remarkable directions, and while we still have much to learn, what we do know has earned them the top spot on this list.
2. Flying Snake
Flying snakes are native to the rainforests of India and Southeast Asia. Despite their intimidating name, they can't actually fly, but they are skilled gliders. When a Flying Snake needs to travel from one tree to another, it propels itself into the air, flaring its ribs and drawing in its stomach to flatten and widen its body, transforming it into a pseudo-concave wing. As astonishing as it sounds, Flying Snakes are superior gliders compared to flying squirrels. While squirrels can glide for about 60 meters between trees, Flying Snakes can glide over 100 meters and actually 'slither' through the air, which helps them maintain stability and control their 'flight.' Though venomous, Flying Snakes are not a danger to humans. They mostly prey on lizards and other small creatures and spend the majority of their time in trees.
1. Tiger Keelback
The Yamakagashi, or Japanese water snake, is native to Eastern Asia. This small species typically does not exceed one meter in length and is extremely shy, to the point where it was once thought to be harmless. That was until a tragic death from a Yamakagashi bite in the 1980s. Thankfully, due to their docile nature, these snakes are very unlikely to bite, and fatalities remain very rare. Additionally, since their venomous fangs are located at the back of their jaws, they cannot easily inject venom as other snakes can. Their diet primarily consists of frogs and toads. Aside from their vibrant colors, Tiger Keelbacks appear relatively ordinary, yet they possess an extraordinary defense mechanism. It was recently discovered that these snakes feed on poisonous toads, and not only are they immune to the toxins of the toads, but they also have the ability to store the poison in specialized glands in their necks. When threatened, the snake can release this stored poison as a defense. This remarkable adaptation not only shields the snake from most predators but also conserves its own venom for hunting, instead of wasting it on an enemy too large to consume.
