[112] In a Greek myth described by Pseudo-Apollodorus in his Bibliotheca, Medusa was a Gorgon with serpents for hair whose gaze turned all those who looked at her to stone and was slain by the hero Perseus. 72(2): 563. Unlike the gaits of limbed animals, which form a continuum, each mode of snake locomotion is discrete and distinct from the others; transitions between modes are abrupt. The bite of a nonvenomous snake is usually harmless; their teeth are not adapted for tearing or inflicting a deep puncture wound, but rather grabbing and holding. The park also conducts regular demonstrations and lectures on identification of some of the principal species of venomous and non-venomous snakes, the need to protect them, ways of preventing them from getting into human habitations and translocating them from such habitations, treatment of snakebite and so forth. They are slow moving, relying on camouflaging as a vine in foliage. In Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia, drinking the blood of snakes—particularly the cobra—is believed to increase sexual virility. Snake venoms are often prey specific—their role in self-defense is secondary. The 4th working meeting of the IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group, Madras 1978. T. M. Manoharan, S. D. Biju, T. S. Nayar & P. S. Easa (Eds). [113][114][115] In the Roman poet Ovid's Metamorphoses, Medusa is said to have once been a beautiful priestess of Athena, whom Athena turned into a serpent-haired monster after she was raped by the god Poseidon in Athena's temple. Captive Propogation & Husbandry. For other uses, see, Proto-IE: *(s)nēg-o-, Meaning: snake, Old Indian: nāgá- m. "snake", Germanic: *snēk-a- m., *snak-an- m., *snak-ō f.; *snak-a- vb., Russ. Tail vertebrae are comparatively few in number (often less than 20% of the total) and lack ribs, while body vertebrae each have two ribs articulating with them. Soc. Indian Forester 103(11): 1978. 34. Originally a quarterly, the journal was made a half-yearly since January 2010. Lizards have evolved elongate bodies without limbs or with greatly reduced limbs about twenty-five times independently via convergent evolution, leading to many lineages of legless lizards. 66(2): 1969. 1(1). This page was last edited on 24 February 2020, at 19:20. 1972. The English word snake comes from Old English snaca, itself from Proto-Germanic *snak-an- (cf. (R. Whitaker & H V. Andrews). Indian Forester 108(40): 1982. The body size of a snake has a major influence on its eating habits. His. [50][clarification needed]. Italiano 1 637 000+ voci. 1978. Western India and Sri Lanka through tropical Southeast Asia to the Philippines, south through the Indonesian/Malaysian island group to Timor, east through New Guinea to the northern coast of Australia to, West Malaysia and on the Indonesian island of, Northern, Central and South America, the Caribbean, southeastern Europe and Asia Minor, Northern, Central and East Africa, Madagascar and. [17][3][18][75] Because snakes cannot bite or tear their food to pieces, they must swallow prey whole. Birth record of the Andaman pit viper (Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus). Snake species on display include reticulated python, Indian rock python, common krait, Russell's viper, saw-scaled viper, Indian rat snake, red sand boa, common sand boa, dog-faced water snakes, common cat snake, common kukri snake, common bronzeback tree snake, annulated sea snake, common wolf snake, common vine snake, striped keelback, checkered keelback, olive keelback, common trinket snake, spectacled cobra, banded sea krait and hook-nosed sea snake. Status and conservation of the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus). [41], The underside is very sensitive to vibration. His. Individual snakes may brumate in burrows, under rock piles, or inside fallen trees, or snakes may aggregate in large numbers at hibernacula. More advanced snakes have no remnants of limbs, but basal snakes such as pythons and boas do have traces of highly reduced, vestigial hind limbs. J. Bombay Nat. J. Bombay Nat. The Americas, Africa, and Eurasia east to. Reproduction in squamate reptiles is almost exclusively sexual. 18. The spleen is attached to the gall bladder and pancreas and filters the blood. To canvas public support for the protection and conservation of reptiles and amphibians. Snake charming as a profession is dying out in India because of competition from modern forms of entertainment and environment laws proscribing the practice.