How Many Bones Does A Snake Have

Introduction

Snakes are very flexible. One may wonder whether they have bones or not. There are about 600 to 1800 bones present in snakes depending upon their species. Despite having these numbers of bones they are very flexible because these bones help in facilitating movement. They are vertebrates and their ribs, skull, and jawbone are connected to their backbone.

Snakes: A Vertebrate

Animals are divided into two vertebrates (with a backbone) and invertebrates (without a backbone). Snakes come under Vertebrates. They have only ten bones in their skull and jaw. But, the number of ribs and other bones varies according to the size of the species.

Even a small snake of about 10 cm long will have 200 vertebrates i.e.,600 bones. Python has the greatest number of bones. It has 600 vertebrates which are equal to 1800 bones. It is the snake's backbone that always helps in its sliding motion.

Unlike other mammals, snakes do have only a few types of bones that include skull, jawbones, backbone, and ribs.

Jawbone

Snakes can easily swallow prey that is larger than the size of their jaw. This is because of a very complex skull structure with many joints. Its jawbones are loosely attached to the skull. When humans have two elements of jaws, snakes have four. This allows them to move their jaws freely and widely. Their ability to unhinge their jaws makes them successful hunters.

Rib Bone

Unlike humans, snakes have their ribs open with no close due to lack of breast bone. This feature also helps them to easily give space to large prey.

Conclusion

Though it looks like snakes have no bones at all, it is amazing to know that they have more bones that help their flexibility. When a human adult has just 206 bones, even small snakes have over 300 bones. Only on their ribs snakes don't have ribs. As we all know snakes have no legs. But they used to have legs millions of years ago. They are known as “vestigial” legs.