🐍 Snake Quiz: Can you identify all 20 snakes?

Written by Retha Lombard — Updated: April 13, 2023

How to Play:

Pay close attention to the image and captions provided to help you figure out the answer.

Key Points:

The Black Mamba has the fastest-acting venom of any snake. A human can die of its bite within 20 minutes.
The Amazon is the most biologically diverse rainforest, and home to the largest snakes on Earth.
Snakes are cold-blooded animals which can’t withstand temperatures that stay below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Snakes usually don’t venture into very cold regions like the Arctic Circle.

Snakes That Kill Without Venom

Some snakes do not have venom but use their constricting muscles to kill their prey. They wrap their bodies around their prey, squeezing tighter and tighter until their prey cannot breathe anymore and dies. One of these snakes is shown below.

Boa constrictors are non-venomous snakes famous for their method of subduing prey: squeezing, or constricting, it to death. — Natalia Kuzmina/Shutterstock.com

These boa’s are often kept as pets.

Boa constrictors have some sharp teeth which they use to latch onto their prey and hold tight while they wrap the rest of their body around their prey. — KatKade/Shutterstock.com

Boas kill their prey through constriction. — Jan Hejda/Shutterstock.com

What is the name of the snake?

King Snake

Boa constrictor

Squeezing Snake

Rat snake

Snakes That Kill Other Snakes

Some snakes will also eat other snakes. One of them, whose scientific name actually means “snake eating”, is also the longest venomous snake in the world.

Indian cobra spreading its hood to show that it’s dangerous. — Vova Shevchuk/Shutterstock.com

King cobra in a tree — Sibons photography/Shutterstock.com

This is the “king” of snakes.

Live cobra on the beach sand — Vova Shevchuk/Shutterstock.com

King Cobra 10ft. long — Jolly Therattil/Shutterstock.com

What is the name of this snake?

Ball Python

King Cobra

Rattlesnake

Hognose Snake

Snakes That Live In Deserts

There are lots of snakes that live in deserts. They are well-adapted to living here because snakes only need to eat once every few weeks and they all have the ability to conserve water.

Northern Pacific rattlesnakes are food for almost anything bigger. — Ryan M. Bolton/Shutterstock.com

Be careful around Timber Rattlesnakes, with well hidden camoflauge — Frode Jacobsen/Shutterstock.com

This snake’s tail serve as warning.

Which of these snakes are found in deserts?

Rattlesnake

Indian Cobra

Jamaican Boa

Kirtland’s Snake

Big Four Snakes

India is home to nearly 300 different snakes of which only about 60 of them are venomous. Nevertheless, every year about 58 000 people die in India from snake bites. The “Big Four” snakes are the most dangerous snakes found in India today.

Russell's Viper displaying erect fangs. These fangs are enclosed in a protective mucous sheath, and are kept folded at rest. — iStock.com/ePhotocorp

This snake is endemic to the Indian subcontinent.

Which of these snakes are one of the Big Four?

Black Mamba

Nose-horned Viper

Aruba Rattlesnake

Russel’s Viper

Venomous Snakes in the USA

The United States has approximately 30 species of venomous snakes. This includes rattlesnakes, coral snakes, cottonmouth, and copperhead snakes. They are responsible for about 5 deaths each year. Arizona is the state with the most venomous snakes.

The eastern diamondback is the biggest rattlesnake in North America — iStock.com/NajaShots

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes' pattern often fades towards their tail. — Chase D’animulls/Shutterstock.com

This rattlesnake is the most dangerous in the US.

Which snake is the most venomous in the US?

Northern Copperhead

Water Mocassin

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Arizona Mountain Kingsnake

Snakes in the Amazon

The Amazon is the largest rainforest on earth and is home to some of the largest snakes on the planet! The Amazon is the most biologically diverse rainforest on earth but is also the one that is most threatened by deforestation.

Green anacondas' eyes and nostrils are on top of their head. — Patrick K. Campbell/Shutterstock.com

A Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), which is especially partial to flooded grassland. — Patrick K. Campbell/Shutterstock.com

This Anaconda is the longest snake in South America.

Which is the largest snake in the Amazon?

Green Anaconda

Tree Snake

Taipan

Keelback

Fastest Acting Venom

The Black Mamba has the fastest-acting venom of any snake. They will usually inject about 280 mg of venom when they attack, while only 15-20 mg can be fatal. If untreated, the bite will kill a person within 20 minutes.

When threatened, a black mamba will often spread a narrow cobra-like hood. — 131346563/Shutterstock.com

A black mamba can raise up to 40% of its body off the ground, explaining why most bites are on the upper body. — Cormac Price/Shutterstock.com

The Black Mamba is endemic to sub-Sahara.

Where is the Black Mamba found?

Deserts

Sub-Saharan Africa

Arizona

Middle East

Pet Snakes

If you want to keep a pet snake, it is important to choose a snake that will fit your unique circumstances and capabilities. A snake is a big commitment. Most snakes live for more than ten years in captivity. A snake should also have the correct habitat, mimicking the snake’s natural habitat.

Orange corn snake wrapped around a stick in its tank. The corn snake makes excellent pets. It is generally docile, relatively easy to care for, and does not get very large. — Photohobbiest/Shutterstock.com

This snake is very docile and makes an excellent pet.

Which is the best pet snake for a beginner?

Cat Snake

Eastern Hog-Nosed Snake

Pine Woods Snake

Corn Snake

Sea Snakes

Sea Snakes are, apart from whales, the most aquatic air-breathing Vertebrates. In fact, they must surface regularly to breathe. They all have flattened bodies with short, oarlike tails and are often confused with eels.

Olive Sea snake, Disteira major in Bundaberg, Great Barrier Reef,Queensland. It can grow up to six feet long and weigh up to six and a half pounds. — Sahara Frost/Shutterstock.com

The Olive sea snake uses its tail like a paddle to propel it through the water in the coral reef biome. — Gabriel Guzman/Shutterstock.com

The other name for this snake is the Golden Sea Snake.

What is the name of this sea snake?

Beaked Sea Snake

Spectacled Sea Snake

Olive Sea Snake

Garman’s sea snake

Snakes in the Cold

Snakes are cold-blooded animals and cannot control their own body temperature. Snakes cannot survive temperatures of under 65° degrees Fahrenheit (18°C). There are therefore not many snakes that will survive in countries close to the Arctic circle.

Common European Adder (Vipera berus) — Holm94/Shutterstock.com

Male European adders are usually silvery-gray in color, and thinner than the females.

This adder can survive extreme temperatures.

Which snake is the only snake that can live above the Arctic Circle?

Common European Adder

Western Rat Snake

Cascabel

Northern Water Snake

Snakes Giving Birth

Snakes can give birth in three ways – laying eggs, giving live birth, or the soft-shelled eggs develop inside the mother and the snakelets are born live. The most common type of birth is laying eggs, with only about 20 to 30% of all snakes giving live birth.

The northern water snake has a flat head that is as wide as its neck. — iStock.com/IcemanJ

The northern water snake reaches up to 4.5 feet in length. — iStock.com/manuellacoste

This water snake gives live birth.

Which snake give live birth?

Black Rat Snake

Northern Water Snake

Corn Snake

King Cobra

Fastest Snake

Most snakes can move very fast, but they will not be able to catch a human running. Even the quickest snakes don’t move more than 18 miles per hour. You cannot, however, avoid its strike.

Australian Common Death Adders are very venomous. — iStock.com/Ken Griffiths

Acanthophis antarcticus, Common death adder is a common Australian poisonous snake — Vladislav T. Jirousek/Shutterstock.com

Which snake has the fastest strike?

Black Mamba

Gaboon Viper

Death Adder

Diamondback rattlesnake

Vipers

Vipers are venomous snakes found all over the world, except for Australia and some islands. They all have long, hinged fangs at the front of their mouths that they use to inject venom into their prey. The Viper family includes some of the deadliest snakes.

The Roman's Saw scaled Viper is the most dangerous snake in Africa and Asia — Luis Montero de Espinosa/Shutterstock.com

The saw-scaled viper kills 4,000-5,000 people annually in India alone. — reptiles4all/Shutterstock.com

This snake is endemic to India.

What is the deadliest viper?

Gaboon viper

Puff Adder

Saw-Scaled Viper

Green Bush Viper

The Snake’s Fangs

The fangs of a snake operate almost like a syringe. The fangs are also long and thin, hollow, and with a beveled tip. The snake uses its fangs to inject venom into its prey, killing or paralyzing it so that the snake can swallow the prey. Fangs range from very small to 2 inches long.

Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica), on leaf litter. Its upper body is made up of beautiful diamonds, triangles, and hourglasses in neutral colors that mimic the colors of leaf litter. — Stu Porter/Shutterstock.com

The venomous Gaboon viper uses its tongue to smell. It has the longest fangs of any snake. Like many members of Bitis, it has horns between its nostrils. — Danita Delimont/Shutterstock.com

This snake is endemic to tropical Africa.

Which snake has the longest fangs?

Russel’s Viper

Gaboon Viper

King Cobra

Puff Adder

How Does a Snake Swallow

A snake has loosely hinged jaws, that can expand to swallow prey that is much larger than their mouths and even bodies. The mandibles are loosely connected at the back of the skull with ligaments, that is why they can open their mouth so wide, they do not dislocate their jaws to swallow! Some snakes can even eat prey the size of humans.

The head and neck of the snake direct its body when moving. — iStock.com/Schumaher

Green anacondas are the largest snakes in the world. — Holger Kirk/Shutterstock.com

This snake is found in South America.

What snake can swallow a human?

King Brown Snake

African Rock Python

Burmese python

Anaconda

A Snake’s Venom

A snake’s venom is highly toxic saliva that contains zootoxins. This helps the snake to immobilize and digest the prey. The snake injects the venom with its fangs during a bite. Some species are also able to spit venom.

Coastal Taipan, a snake similar to the Central Ranges Taipan. The Central Ranges Taipan has a brown body with pale head. — Ken Griffiths/Shutterstock.com

Spitting cobra in defensive mode. — Andre Coetzer/Shutterstock.com

The Rinkhals is a very poisonous cobra.

How many of the snakes in the world are venomous?

1 in 10

1 in 3

1 in 5

1 in 20

Snakes that Fly

In Southeast Asia, there live snakes that can glide through the air from up a tree. They do this by curving their bodies into a C-shape and flattening the body. They also use a lateral undulation motion to glide through the air. They can glide for up to 100m, making them better gliders than flying squirrels.

Flying snake ''Chrysopelea'' in a tree. — Kurit afshen/Shutterstock.com

This flying snake has a golden color.

Which of these snakes can fly?

Brown Tree Snake

Yellow-bellied Black Snake

Golden tree snake

Ashok’s Bronzeback Tree Snake

Pre-historic Snakes

The largest known member of the suborder Serpentes lived during the Paleocene Epoch (66 million to 56 million years ago). This snake is estimated to be up to 50 feet long and 3 feet wide, making it 3 times as big as a giant anaconda.

Dinosaur Kentrosaurus and giant snake Titanoboa — Michael Rosskothen/Shutterstock.com

Prehistoric giant snake Titanoboa. — Michael Rosskothen/Shutterstock.com

This snake is the forerunner of all today’s boas.

What is the name of the giant pre-historic snake?

Triceratops

Titanoboa

Megalodon

Spinosaurus

How Do Snakes Smell

Snakes do have nostrils, but they use a special organ in the roof of their mouths to smell. They use their tongues to pick up smells from the environment. Snakes have a very well-developed sense of smell.

African Bush Viper (Atheris squamigera) with open mouth showing fangs. — Mark Kostich/Shutterstock.com

The Indian python is a large non venomous snake species found India,Nepal,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Bhutan and Bangladesh. — iStock.com/reptiles4all

A snake uses its tongue to collect smells.

What is the name of the organ that snake use to smell with?

Troiano Receptor

Islands of Langerhans

The tongue

Jacobson’s organ

Large Snakes in the US

There are a lot of very large snakes in the USA. Some of these snakes are native, but one also gets snakes that came here from other parts of the world. The biggest of these is the green Anaconda, which is found in parts of Florida.