Snake Encyclopedia
Search and identify 1,000+ snakes from around the world — with venomous status, family, range, size, habitat, and how to tell look-alikes apart.
Cuban Dwarf Boa
A small, thick-bodied Cuban endemic known for feigning death and even releasing blood from its eyes as a dramatic defense.
Hooded Malpolon
A large, fast rear-fanged snake of the western Mediterranean known for its hood-like defensive display, closely related to the Eastern Montpellier snake.
Argentine Rainbow Boa
A southern member of the rainbow boa group native to drier habitats of Argentina and neighboring countries, notable for its iridescent scales and relatively subdued coloration.
Florida Brownsnake
A small, common brown snake of Florida gardens and woodlands, closely related to the widespread De Kay's Brownsnake.
Desert Cobra
A glossy black, primarily nocturnal elapid found in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, considered venomous and potentially dangerous to humans.
Red-tailed Racer
A slender, bright green arboreal snake from Southeast Asian rainforests, distinguished by the reddish-brown coloration of its tail contrasting with its emerald green body.
Mojave Rattlesnake
A desert rattlesnake notable for producing venom with potent neurotoxic components in many populations, distinguishing it medically from most other rattlesnakes.
Olive Keelback
A drab, olive-toned freshwater colubrid common in ponds, ditches, and paddies across South Asia.
Bockadam
A common brackish-water snake of Asian mangroves and estuaries, feeding mainly on fish and known for its dog-like snout.
Schott's Whipsnake
A slender, fast-moving whipsnake of South Texas brushlands, patterned with pale crossbands on a darker ground color.
Striped Keelback
A common, slender colubrid with pale stripes along the back, frequently found near water and farmland across South Asia.
Blossom Krait
A small, harmless, krait-like colubrid whose banded pattern often causes it to be mistaken for a venomous krait.
Inland Taipan
A highly venomous but reclusive Australian elapid of remote arid regions, often cited for its extremely potent venom.
Painted Bronzeback
A brightly patterned, agile tree snake of Southeast Asia, named for the bold black-and-cream striping revealed between its scales when alarmed.
Mole Kingsnake
A secretive, burrowing kingsnake subspecies with a faded, blotched pattern that grows more obscure with age.
Green Keelback
A small, bright green rear-fanged colubrid found in hilly forests of the Indian subcontinent.
Elliot's Shieldtail
A small, burrowing shieldtail snake endemic to the Western Ghats, named for its distinctive hardened tail tip used for burrowing.
Highland Copperhead
A cold-adapted Australian elapid found at higher elevations in the southeast, closely related to the lowland copperhead but occupying alpine and subalpine habitats.
Water Moccasin
A heavy-bodied semi-aquatic pit viper of the southeastern US, named for the white lining of its mouth displayed as a threat.
False Water Cobra
A large, aquatic South American colubrid capable of flattening its neck into a cobra-like hood when threatened.
Mole Viper
A small, cylindrical, burrowing snake with unusual side-swiping fangs, found across much of sub-Saharan Africa.
Western Groundsnake
A small, highly variable desert snake that may be striped, banded, or plain depending on the population.
Checkered Keelback
One of the most common water-associated snakes in Asia, recognized by its checkerboard pattern and strongly keeled scales, frequently seen near rice paddies and ponds.
Common Egg-eater
A remarkable African colubrid that feeds exclusively on bird eggs, using specialized vertebral spines in its throat to crack shells after swallowing them whole.