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Glossary
Fangs
The proteroglypha have, in front of the upper jaw and preceding the ordinary teeth, permanently erect fangs. These fangs are called fixed fangs. The solenoglypha have erectile fangs; that is, fangs they can raise to an erect position. These fangs are called folded fangs.
Jacobson's Organ
Jacobson's organ is found in the mouth of snakes and lizards. Thats why they keep flippin their tongue like that. Jacobson’s organ is found in human embryos too, but it degenerates as the nervous system develops. It is named after Ludwig Jacobson, the Danish anatomist.
Snake Venom is a complicated substance. It was once believed that snakes have venom that is either hemotoxic or neurotoxic. It is now known that it's not this simple. Most snake venom is composed of many types of compounds, primarily protiens and enzymes that effect the body in different ways. Thus, even a snake typically known as having only hemotoxic venom, most likely has some neurotoxic compounds as well.
The fixed-fang snakes (proteroglypha) usually have neurotoxic venoms. These venoms affect the nervous system, making the victim unable to breathe. The folded-fang snakes (solenoglypha) usually have hemotoxic venoms. These venoms affect the circulatory system, destroying blood cells, damaging skin tissues, and causing internal hemorrhaging. Remember, however, that most poisonous snakes have both neurotoxic and hemotoxic venom. Usually one type of venom in the snake is dominant and the other is weak.
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