Did you know that many harmless snakes have tiny fangs in the back of their mouths? Don’t be alarmed! There’s no need to start running away from every snake you see. Venom is a widespread mechanism in the animal kingdom. It is used as an aid in hunting or defense—ants, bees, and spiders are some familiar examples of this. We have discovered that many species generally considered harmless to humans do produce relatively mild venoms. While there is still a great deal of research to be done before we understand all the ramifications of both the fangs and venom of these snakes, a natural hypothesis is that these compounds assist the snakes in their predation in one way or another.
This lesson is part of Certified Herpetological Guide. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 50 hours).
