Where does snakes get venom from? Detailed answer

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Where does snakes get venom from? Detailed answer

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Where does snakes get venom from?

According to scientists, there are about two thousand four hundred different types of snakes in the world now. Of these, only eight percent are poisonous and paralyze or kill their prey with poison. In many venomous snakes, the venom is not strong enough or not produced in sufficient quantities to be dangerous to humans.

All snakes produce a lot of saliva, which helps them swallow and digest their prey. In poisonous snakes, one of the salivary glands produces a substance that is poisonous to its victims. This substance is snake venom. The venom of some snakes is so strong that it can kill an elephant. In others, it is so weak that it can only kill a small lizard. No more than two hundred species of poisonous snakes can be considered dangerous to humans.

Of the venomous snakes known today, cobras and similar snakes form one family, vipers another. In addition, some members of the largest coluber family of snakes are also venomous. Cobras and other representatives of this family have two poisonous teeth on the upper jaw, one on each side. These teeth have grooves, but in most cobras they are closed and form tubes, empty inside. A muscle is located around the poisonous gland. When the snake bites, the muscle presses on the gland, squeezing the poison into the teeth, which enters the victim's body through the grooves of the teeth.

There is also the so-called spitting cobra, which can shoot venom from its poisonous teeth. A cobra aims at the eyes of an animal that threatens it, such as an antelope or a buffalo. The spit reaches its target at a distance of up to two meters and causes blindness almost instantly. Usually, cobra venom acts on the victim's nervous system and paralyzes it. When the poison reaches the nerve centers that control breathing and heartbeat, the victim dies.

Vipers have very long poisonous teeth. Their venom mainly affects the blood cells and blood vessels of the victim. This can cause severe swelling and bleeding.

Author: Likum A.

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

Do cacti have leaves?

The cactus is able to grow in harsh conditions because this plant has adapted to such conditions. Cacti have the same structure and development as other plants. But the work that leaves do in most other plants is done by stems and branches in cacti. The absence of leaves and the presence of thorny branches and stems help cacti survive in hot and dry areas. The leaves of other plants are thin and have pores through which the plant breathes.

During cell division and the formation of new ones, water is released through these gusts of air. The cactus must save every drop of water. Therefore, the function of the leaves is taken over by the stems and branches. There are few pores in their thick skin, and water is retained in the cactus.

The roots of cacti are located close to the surface of the earth. Therefore, cacti quickly absorb water from the surface after rain. This water that passes through the roots accumulates in the fleshy or hollow stems of the cactus. The outer coat of the plant is thick and smooth, and this also helps retain water. The outer cover of the cactus is sinewy.

In some cacti, the veins tighten and stretch like an accordion. They stretch when filled with water and shrink when the water is used up.

In the cactus family, there are specimens that have leaves, such as the lemon vine in western India. But in most cacti, the leaves have turned into spines, bristles or hairs. This helps cacti protect themselves from animals that would otherwise eat them, as they may be the only green plants in the area.

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