Only A Herpetologist Can Correctly Identify These Snakes

Copperhead snakes are some of the more commonly seen North American snakes. They're also the most likely to bite, although their venom is relatively mild, and their bites are rarely fatal for humans. Copperheads are pit vipers, like rattlesnakes and water moccasins. Pit vipers have "heat-sensory pits between eye and nostril on each side of head," which are able to detect minute differences in temperatures so that the snakes can accurately strike the source of heat, which is often potential prey. Notice the vertical pupils. The other snake was a Northern Water Snake. The diet of northern water snakes is varied, but consists primarily of fish and amphibians. They inhabit a variety of aquatic environments throughout the northern Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and mountains of North Carolina. Even though they aren't venomous, they can deliver a nasty bite that would require medical attention and are likely to bite repeatedly unless they are released.

This snake is considered very venomous, producing a toxin which prohibits the ability of the blood to clot while destroying tissue on a cellular level. Any area that comes in contact with water moccasin venom will begin to hemorrhage, giving the name "cytotoxic" (similar to ‘hemotoxic’ ) to this type of poison. They are found predominately in the southern part of the United States, including all of Florida and up the coast, and in the mid south, up the Mississippi River system.Water moccasins are often mistaken for non-venomous brown water snakes, one of the reasons they are particularly lethal.

Coral snakes are small, vibrantly colored, highly venomous snakes. They have the second-strongest venom of any snake. Because of the coral snake's dangerous reputation, many nonpoisonous snakes disguise themselves as coral snakes by having similar body patterns. Scarlet king snakes look very similar to coral snakes, but the red bands of a scarlet king snake are next to the black bands whereas the red bands of an eastern coral snake are next to the yellow bands. Red and yellow, can kill a fellow; Red and black, friend of Jack.

In the United States, the Mojave rattlesnake is found in most of Arizona, southern California, Nevada, southwestern Utah, southern New Mexico and some parts of Texas. Its range extends south to Puebla, near the southern edge of the Mexican plateau in the central region of Mexico. Even though all rattlesnake species are venomous, this species is particularly dangerous to humans. The Mojave rattlesnake has the most potent venom of any rattlesnake in North America. But not all Mojave rattlesnakes have the same type of venom in fact there 2 two types of venom found within their population, known as types "A" and "B". The type "A" venom, known as the "Mojave toxin", is very different than most rattlesnake venoms in that it is highly neurotoxic, affecting the respiratory and nervous systems of the bite victim. The type "B" venom is very similar to most other rattlesnake venoms so it's hemotoxic, and it effectively destroys tissue around the bite site. The venom type "B" is considered 10 times less toxic than type "A" venom. The other snake is a bull snake.

The fer-de-lance or terciopelo (Bothrops asper) is a highly venomous pit viper that inhabits the region from southern Mexico to northern South America. The fer-de-lance is the main cause of snakebite incidents within its range and bite symptoms include local pain, severe swelling, numbness, nausea, vomiting, blistering, bruising, and necrosis. They have a very potent and fast acting hemotoxic venom. They are considered the most dangerous snake species in Costa Rica, responsible for almost half of all snakebites and 1/3 of all hospitalization cases. Many people are killed each year within its range by the fer-de-lance.

Black mambas are fast, nervous, lethally venomous, and when threatened, highly aggressive. They have been blamed for numerous human deaths, and African myths exaggerate their capabilities to legendary proportions. For these reasons, the black mamba is widely considered the world’s deadliest snake. Before the advent of black mamba antivenin, a bite from this fearsome serpent was 100 percent fatal, usually within about 20 minutes. The other snake was a Dekay's Brown Snake. Brown snakes feed largely on earthworms, snails, and slugs, but will also eat small salamanders, soft-bodied grubs, and beetles.

This snake is dangerously venomous. As it is with all mambas the elongate, flat-sided head is often referred to as coffin-shaped. Their range stretches from the Eastern Cape in South Africa through Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Eastern Zimbabwe and Southern Malawi. The Eastern green mamba is a highly venomous snake, in cases of severe envenomation fatalities have occurred in as little as 30 minutes. Their venom is primarily neurotoxic, and contains a complex mix of dendrotoxins, calcicludine, cardiotoxins, and fasciculins. The other snake is a Smooth Green Snake. Smooth green snakes eat mainly insects. They prefer crickets, grasshoppers, and caterpillars, and will also eat beetles, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, snails, slugs, and sometimes amphibians.

The Yellow-bellied Sea Snake has the distinction of being the most widely ranging snake in the world, as well as the most aquatic. The fangs are quite short (~ 1.5mm) and only a small dose of venom is usually injected, however this venom is highly toxic and contains potent neurotoxins and myotoxins. Symptoms of envenomation include muscle pain and stiffness, drooping eyelids, drowsiness and vomiting, and a serious bite can lead to total paralysis and death. The other snake is a Yellow Rat Snake, these snakes are nonvenomous.

The venom of the tiger snake is strongly neurotoxic and coagulant. Tiger snakes have a non-continuous distribution within two broad areas; southeastern Australia (including the islands of Bass Strait and Tasmania), and southwestern Australia. The other snake is a Diamond Python and is non-venomous.

The Blue Malaysian Coral Snake is a venomous elapid and is one of the most strikingly beautiful snakes you’ll ever see. This beautiful coral snake is found from around Phang Nga and south into Peninsular Malaysia. The other snake is a Ridley's Racer, found in Chumpon, Thailand, south to border of Thailand-Malaysia. These are often found in Thailand caves, they are excellent wall climbers.