This formation also provides flexibility, as the vertebrae can rotate but do not twist. The structure of the spine provides stability, from the fact that each vertebra is attached to its neighbour. This mechanism is almost exclusively found in the spines of snakes. Lastly, the zygosphene and the zygantra, create another ball and socket joint, which provides snakes with the ability to rotate their spines and enables snakes to move in their highly unique manner. There are five points at which each vertebra interacts with other bones in order to create a joint: each vertebra is attached to the central spinal column with a ball-and-socket joint, then two protrusions from the vertebra (the prezygapophyses and the postzygapophyses) are used to attach the vertebra to the neighbouring vertebra, one protrusion is located at the top and the other at the bottom, these lock each vertebra in place. The vertebra found in the tail, do not have ribs attached to them. Snakes have a pair of ribs that are attached to each vertebra located in the body, with the exception of the few vertebrae that are located behind the head. Snakes usually have two types of vertebrae: precaudal (body) and caudal (tail).
Snakes can have anywhere between 200 and 400 vertebrae, to put this into context, humans only have approximately 33 vertebrae, even though we are generally larger than snakes. The majority of the snakes’ skeletal structure is made up of their backbone. The skull has very few bones which are generally held by ligaments and muscles rather than bones and joints which would be typical of a human skull. Snakes have a uniquely designed skull structure the essential defining feature of a snakes’ skull is its agility. Snakes have a simple bone structure this consists of a skull and a long backbone. Snakes’ perfectly designed spines and jaws, which are discussed further in the remainder of this article, have allowed them to become some of the most feared predators in the world.ĭo all snakes have bones and what about ribs? Snakes can have anywhere between one-hundred and four-hundred vertebra, dependent on their size and their means of killing their prey. Snakes’ long backbones (spines) are made up of many individual vertebrae. All snakes are vertebrates, and therefore all snakes have a backbone, the size of a snakes’ spine is dependent on the size of the snake. Generally, the critical distinction between vertebrates and invertebrates is that vertebrates have a backbone (spine), whereas invertebrates do not. In the animal kingdom, one manner of categorising animals, can be to class them into vertebrates and invertebrates.
Snakes do have a backbone despite their flexibility. Are snake numbers declining, and what does this mean for the future of particular ecosystems?.How have snakes evolved to be excellent at catching their prey?.Do all snakes have bones and what about ribs?.
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