1. SNAKES OF MISSISSIPPI OUR STATE HAS 55 KNOWN SPECIES OF SNAKES
SIX SPECIES ARE VENOMOUS

2. VENOMOUS SNAKES FACIAL PITS - INFRARED IMAGING
VERTICAL, ELLIPTICAL PUPILS
SINGLE SCALE ROWS UNDER TAIL
RATTLE OR BUTTON ON TAIL
RED/YELLOW/BLACK RINGS

6. EASTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE
LARGEST VENOMOUS SNAKE IN NORTH AMERICA
5-6 1/2 FEET - UP TO 8 FT
PIT VIPERS - FACIAL PITS BETWEEN EYES AND NOSTRILS - “SEE” INFRARED RADIATION

7. ADAPTATIONS AMBUSH PREDATOR LARGE HEAD AND BODY
ENVENOMATION - FANGS + VENOM
FACIAL PITS

8. ADAPTATIONS
JACOBSEN ORGAN - IN ROOF OF MOUTH, CONNECTED TO OLFACTORY NERVE (SMELL)
TONGUE FLICKS CONSTANTLY TO PICK UP SCENT MOLECULES AND SEND THEM TO JACOBSEN’S ORGAN

9. ADAPTATIONS
HINGED JAWS
CAMOUFLAGE
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DIGESTION - DIGESTIVE ENZYMES IN VENOM

12. TIMBER RATTLER (CANEBRAKE)
/2 FEET
NEED SOUTHERN EXPOSURE
PREFER FORESTS WITH THICK UNDERSTORY
FEED ON MICE, SQUIRRELS, RABBITS, BIRDS, ETC.

14. PYGMY RATTLESNAKE ADULTS - 18 INCHES LONG COILED = SIZE OF PINECONE
RARELY SEEN
DIFFICULT TO HEAR RATTLER

16. COPPERHEAD MOST COMMON VENOMOUS SNAKE
VENOM NOT EXTREMELY POTENT, SELDOM FATAL
SUCCESSFUL - LIVE IN URBANIZATION
FREEZE UPON DANGER - MANY ARE RUN OVER

19. COTTONMOUTH/ WATER MOCCASIN
ONLY VENOMOUS WATER SNAKE
SEMI - AQUATIC
EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE - WILL APPROACH WITHOUT CAUSE
DERIVES ITS NAME FROM HABIT OF GAPING MOUTH OPEN TO SHOW WHITE INSIDE
JAWS SNAP SHUT, UNLIKE STRIKE/RELEASE OF COPPERHEAD

21. CORAL SNAKE FIXED FANGS, POOR VENOM DELIVERY SYSTEM
HANGS ON WHILE BITING TO INJECT MORE VENOM
ONLY POISONOUS SNAKE IN NORTH AMERICA TO LAY EGGS
VENOM IS A NEUROTOXIN - ATTACKS NERVOUS SYSTEM
HIGH PERCENTAGE OF FATALITIES

22. NONVENOMOUS SNAKES
NONVENOMOUS SNAKES OFTEN MIMIC COLOR, HEAD SHAPE, HISSING, AND TAIL VIBRATION OF VENOMOUS SNAKES. WHY?

23. RIBBON SNAKE

24. GARTER SNAKE

25. WATER SNAKE

26. KING SNAKE

27. MILK SNAKE

28. GREEN SNAKE

29. RACER

30. AVOIDING SNAKE BITES