A word game

Decode the Description

Learn to read field-guide descriptions.

No AI-generated questions or answers. Built from real sources and fixed rules.What this meansClose

Nothing in this game is written by AI while you play. The questions and answers come from a set we built ahead of time from real sources, and the game only picks and shuffles them.

AI did help us build it: writing code, organizing information and drafting some of the drawings.

How we build our tools

The animals in this game are made up. They show what the words mean. They are not real species, and nothing here tells you whether an animal is dangerous.

.thc-gm--words .thc-gm__app { display: none; }This game needs JavaScript, which is switched off or blocked in this browser. Every word in the game, with its meaning and sources, is in the list below.

Level

Kinds of words: All kinds of words

Words

At least one kind stays on.

Loading the first round…

Keyboard: press 1 to 4 to answer.

How to play

Each game has 10 rounds of four kinds: name the marked part of a drawing, find the drawing that shows a word, pick the animal a description fits, or pick the description that fits an animal.
Every made-up snake is drawn the same way: lying in a U, head at the lower left. Under it are three close-ups: its scales, a slice through its body (back at the top, the pale belly plates at the bottom) showing where the markings sit, and its belly seen from below.
Warm-up uses clearly different choices, and every answer shows what the word means once you have picked. Field-ready adds descriptions. Expert descriptions are longer, and each wrong animal differs from the right one in just one detail.
After each answer you see what every word means and where it comes from. Got one wrong? You will see your pick beside the answer.

Words in this game

What each word means, in plain language, and the sources it rests on. Usage varies between authors for some words; where it does, the entry says so.

Where on the animal

Anterior (toward the head end)

Toward the front, or head end, of the animal. "Anteriorly" means toward the head.

In human anatomy "anterior" means the front (belly side) of a person standing upright; in reptile and amphibian descriptions it means toward the head.

Also called: anteriorly

Sources: Glossary – B.C. Reptiles & Amphibians; Turtles of the World: Glossary: "anterior"; 1.6 Anatomical Terminology – Anatomy and Physiology 2e | OpenStax

Caudal (the tail)

The tail, or toward the tail end.

Most glossaries use "caudal" for the tail itself, but some use it more loosely for anything toward the rear (Naturalis: "directed toward the hind part of the body").

Also called: caudally

Sources: Glossary – B.C. Reptiles & Amphibians; Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey; Turtles of the World: Glossary: "caudal"

Dorsal (the back, or upper side)

The back, or upper side, of the animal. The dorsum is the back itself.

For snakes, "dorsal scales" means all the body scales above the belly plates, so they reach down the sides as well as over the back.

Also called: dorsum, dorsally

Sources: Herp Glossary; Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois; SNAKES AND LIZARDS OF MINNESOTA

Dorsolateral (upper side)

The upper side of the body, between the center of the back and the middle of the side.

Glossaries word it differently ("between the back and the sides", "the upper side", "both the back and the sides"), and none fixes the boundary with "lateral" at a particular scale row.

Also called: dorsolaterally

Sources: Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey; Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms; DORSOLATERAL Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster

Gular (the throat)

The throat, the underside of the head behind the chin. The small scales there are called gulars.

Also called: gulars, gular scales, throat scales

Sources: Glossary – B.C. Reptiles & Amphibians; Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms; A PROPOSED STANDARD SYSTEM OF COUNTING VENTRALS IN SNAKES; Poisonous Snakes OF THE WORLD / A MANUAL FOR USE BY U.S. AMPHIBIOUS FORCES / NAVMED P-5099

Labial (the lips)

The lips, or the edge of the mouth. A labial mark is a mark along the lip.

In snakes the lip scales themselves are called upper and lower labials (supralabials and infralabials).

Also called: labials, lip

Sources: Glossary – B.C. Reptiles & Amphibians; Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey; Snakes of Central and Western Africa

Lateral (the side)

The side, or flank, of the animal, between the back and the belly.

Snake accounts often pin a side stripe to scale rows counted up from the belly plates (for example "scale rows 3 and 4"), because "side" alone is vague.

Also called: laterally, flank, flanks

Sources: Glossary – B.C. Reptiles & Amphibians; Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey; Snake ID Guide

Middorsal (center line of the back)

Along the center line of the back, over the spine. A "vertebral stripe" is a stripe in this position.

"Vertebral" is used for the same position (a "vertebral stripe"), but the vertebral row is also the name of the single row of scales along the spine.

Also called: mid-dorsal, middorsally

Sources: Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey; Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms; SNAKES AND LIZARDS OF MINNESOTA

Nuchal (the back of the neck)

The neck region, especially the nape (the back of the neck just behind the head).

On turtles "nuchal" also names a particular scute at the front edge of the upper shell (and the bone under it), which is a different thing from a snake's neck marking.

Also called: nape

Sources: Glossary – B.C. Reptiles & Amphibians; NUCHAL Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey

Posterior (toward the tail end)

Toward the rear, or tail end, of the animal. "Posteriorly" means toward the tail.

In human anatomy "posterior" means the back of a person standing upright; in reptile and amphibian descriptions it means toward the tail.

Also called: posteriorly

Sources: Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey; Turtles of the World: Glossary: "posterior"; 1.6 Anatomical Terminology – Anatomy and Physiology 2e | OpenStax

Postocular (behind the eye)

The area just behind the eye. A postocular stripe is a stripe running back from the eye.

"Postoculars" (plural) are also the small scales touching the back edge of the eye; a postocular stripe is a color mark in that area that usually runs further back.

Also called: postocular stripe, postocular region

Sources: Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms; Snakes of Central and Western Africa; Key to Snakes of Illinois

Ventral (the belly, or underside)

The belly, or underside, of the animal. The venter is the belly itself.

"Ventrals" (plural) is also the name for a snake's belly plates; as a position word "ventral" just means the underside.

Also called: venter, ventrally

Sources: Herp Glossary; Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Illinois; Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms

Ventrolateral (lower side)

The lower side of the body, where the side meets the belly.

Sky Meadows puts it on "the sides of the belly" and Merriam-Webster just says "ventral and lateral"; both mean the low side next to the belly.

Also called: ventrolaterally

Sources: Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms; VENTROLATERAL Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster

Patterns

Band (a crosswise mark)

A mark that runs across the body, over the back from one side to the other, rather than along it.

General dictionaries treat band and stripe as near synonyms. In reptile descriptions a band usually runs across the body (a crossband), but some authors write of a lengthwise “band”, so check the context. A short crosswise mark is often called a bar, and on the head “bars” also means short up-and-down marks on the lip scales. Authors also differ on whether a band stops at the belly or goes all the way around (see ring).

Also called: crossband, crossbands, transverse band

Sources: Ecological, behavioral, and phylogenetic influences on the evolution of dorsal color pattern in geckos; BAND Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; SNAKES AND LIZARDS OF MINNESOTA; Snake ID Guide

Blotch (a large patch)

A large patch of color, often irregular in shape, bigger than a spot.

No source sets a size at which a spot becomes a blotch, and blotch and saddle are often used for the same back marks.

Also called: blotches, blotched

Sources: BLOTCH Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; FishBase Glossary; SNAKES AND LIZARDS OF MINNESOTA

Bordered (outlined in another color)

Having an outline of a different color around the edge of a mark.

A border may run all the way round a mark or only along one side (Smith 1950: "each blotch light-edged posteriorly"). "Bordered", "edged" and "outlined" are used the same way.

Also called: edged, outlined, border, light-edged, black-edged

Sources: HANDBOOK OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF KANSAS; EDGED Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; A Guide to Missouri’s Snakes; Key to Snakes of Illinois

Checkered (alternating squares)

Marked with alternating light and dark squares, like a checkerboard. It is often used for belly patterns.

Also called: checkerboard, checker board, checked, checkering

Sources: CHECKERED Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; Snake ID Guide; SNAKES AND LIZARDS OF MINNESOTA

Chevron (a V-shaped mark)

A mark shaped like a V (or an upside-down V), often in a series one behind another.

Which way the V points is not part of the definition (Merriam-Webster: "a V or an inverted V"), so a description should say if it matters.

Also called: chevrons, chevron-shaped, herringbone

Sources: Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms; CHEVRON Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster

Collar (a band around the neck)

A band of color across the neck just behind the head.

A collar may be complete or broken at the midline of the back (Virginia key), and some guides call the same mark a "ring around the neck" (Missouri).

Also called: neck band, neck ring, nuchal collar

Sources: COLLAR Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; Snake ID Guide; A Guide to Missouri’s Snakes

Diamond (a tilted-square mark)

A four-sided mark shaped like a tilted square (a rhombus), usually with points toward the head, the tail and the sides.

No herpetology glossary we found defines it in words; the meaning here follows the dictionary sense of a diamond shape and the “Diamonds” pattern label in the Florida Museum’s snake guide.

Also called: diamonds, diamond-shaped, rhombic

Sources: DIAMOND Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; Florida Snake ID Guide – Florida Museum of Natural History

Ground color (the base color)

The basic color of the animal that the markings sit on.

Also called: groundcolor, ground, background color

Sources: GROUND Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; HANDBOOK OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF KANSAS; Key to Snakes of Illinois

Mottled (irregularly patched)

Covered with irregular spots or patches of two or more colors.

Definitions overlap with spotted and blotched; in use it describes a whole surface rather than separate countable marks.

Also called: mottling, mottles

Sources: MOTTLED Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; Turtles of the World: Glossary: "mottled"; A Guide to Missouri’s Snakes

Ocellus (an eye-like spot)

A round spot surrounded by a ring of another color, so that it looks like an eye.

Most sources mean a spot with a contrasting ring around it, but the Minnesota survey glossary uses "ocelli" for any "circular or round dark spots".

Also called: ocelli, eyespot, eyespots, ocellate

Sources: Turtles of the World: Glossary: "ocellus"; Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms; OCELLUS Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey

Patternless (no markings)

One even color with no markings, at least on the back.

It usually refers to the back; the belly or neck may still be marked (Missouri describes a snake with “uniform dark color on the back” and a light ring around the neck).

Also called: unicolored, unicolor, uniform, plain, solid

Sources: Ecological, behavioral, and phylogenetic influences on the evolution of dorsal color pattern in geckos; UNICOLOR Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; SNAKES AND LIZARDS OF MINNESOTA; A Guide to Missouri’s Snakes

Reticulated (net-like)

Marked with a network of lines, like a net.

It is also used for crowded spots whose edges form a net (Illinois frog key), not only for drawn lines.

Also called: reticulate, reticulations, netlike, net-like

Sources: Glossary – Minnesota Amphibian & Reptile Survey; Glossary of Amphibian and Reptile Terms; Turtles of the World: Glossary: "reticulate"; Key to Frogs and Toads of Illinois

Ring (a band that goes all the way around)

A band of color that goes around the body. In the strict sense it closes all the way around, crossing the belly too.

Some field guides call marks rings even when they do not close under the belly; the Virginia key, for example, describes “rings that do not meet at the ventral midline”.

Also called: rings, ringed

Sources: RING Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; Snake ID Guide

Saddle (a blotch across the back)

A blotch that lies across the back like a saddle, reaching from one side over the top toward the other.

Some guides use “saddle” and “blotch” for the same back marks. A saddle usually means a blotch that crosses the back and reaches down both sides (FishBase: “A blotch extending across the dorsal surface from one side to another like a saddle”).

Also called: saddles, saddle-shaped blotch

Sources: SADDLE Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; FishBase Glossary

Speckled (covered in tiny dots)

Sprinkled with many tiny specks of a contrasting color. A light spot in the middle of many scales can give this look.

"Flecked" is used in much the same way; no source draws a line between speckles and flecks, and a fleck can also be a small streak (Merriam-Webster).

Also called: speckles, speckling, flecked, flecks

Sources: SPECKLED Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; HANDBOOK OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF KANSAS; FLECK Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; A Guide to Missouri’s Snakes

Spot (a small mark)

A small mark that differs in color from the area around it.

No source sets the size at which a spot becomes a blotch.

Also called: spots, spotted

Sources: SPOT Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; Key to Snakes of Illinois

Stripe (a lengthwise line)

A line of color running along the body, from the head toward the tail.

Everyday English uses “stripe” for lines in any direction. In reptile descriptions a stripe usually runs lengthwise, and a crosswise mark is usually called a band or crossband. Minnesota’s guide calls lengthwise stripes “vertical”, so watch the wording.

Also called: stripes, striped, line, lines, lined, longitudinal stripe

Sources: Ecological, behavioral, and phylogenetic influences on the evolution of dorsal color pattern in geckos; STRIPE Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster; SNAKES AND LIZARDS OF MINNESOTA; Snake ID Guide

Scales

Anal plate (the plate over the vent)

The large plate covering the vent, at the end of the row of ventrals. It marks where the body ends and the tail begins. It may be entire (single) or divided by a slanting seam; some are only partly divided.

Some sources prefer "cloacal plate", because the plate covers a cloaca (the shared rear opening), not an anus.

Also called: cloacal plate, anal scale, anal shield, cloacal scale

Sources: Snake scale; Poisonous Snakes OF THE WORLD / A MANUAL FOR USE BY U.S. AMPHIBIOUS FORCES / NAVMED P-5099

Decode the Description

Where on the animal

Patterns

Scales

Beyond snakes

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