We Challenge You to ID All of These Species If You Think You're a Snake Expert!

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
We Challenge You to ID All of These Species If You Think You're a Snake Expert!
Image: frank wouters via WikiCommons

About This Quiz

With over 3,600 species of snake in the world, is it possible there's anyone anywhere who could actually identify them all? Anything's possible, but let's say it's highly unlikely. Still, to be a snake expert doesn't mean you have to know every single one on sight. You could probably consider yourself an expert knowing only a fraction of that number. But you really do have to know them: your vipers and your asps, your boas and your cobras. You'd have to be able to tell an arboreal snake from a terrestrial snake, a sea snake from a desert snake. You'd definitely have to know which kinds are venomous and which kinds are generally docile and easy for a human to handle without risking their safety. That's if you consider yourself any kind of expert.

Now we have no interest in making you identify 3,600 different species of snake. We'd be here for days! But if you figure you have some skill at identifying snakes, then no doubt you'd be able to get a few from this quiz correct. But are you such an expert you could get every single one? Only one way to find out! Take the quiz and see what you can do.

Egyptian Cobra
Wiki Commons by Safaritravelplus
What snake is thought to have killed Cleopatra?
Cuban Boa
Egg-Eater
Egyptian cobra
Tan Racer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Egyptian cobra is often just called an asp to keep things simple. Roman historian Velleius labeled this as the snake that poisoned Queen Cleopatra. Some say it was a cobra, but apparently a cobra would have been too large given eyewitness testimony.

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Reticulated Python
BurmesePython via WikiCommons
This is the longest snake in the world. Can you tell us what it is?
Chicken Snake
Puff Adder
Rat Snake
Reticulated Python
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Reticulated pythons come from Asia and can routinely reach lengths of 19 feet, with at least one exceeding 22 feet. Though they are not poisonous, they are constrictors. Thanks to their size, they are capable of killing (and in some cases, eating) human beings.

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Cottonmouth
Virginia State Parks staff via WikiCommons
Sometimes this snake goes by the name of "water mocassin." What else is it called?
Cottonmouth
Smooth Green Snake
Western Ground Snake
Fifty Pacer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The cottonmouth snake is an aggressive and venomous species that causes a bite both painful and potentially deadly. It gets its name from its habit of opening its mouth incredibly wide when threatened, showing off a bright, cotton-white interior.

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Emerald Tree Boa
Derek Ramsey via WikiCommons
Do you know which snake can be orange or red as a baby?
File Snake
Hundred Pacer
Checkered Keelback
Emerald Tree Boa
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Emerald tree boas are easily recognizable for their incredibly vivid green coloration. They have incredibly slow metabolisms even for snakes and will often go months between feedings.

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Green Anaconda
shankar s. via WikiCommons
Which snake is the heaviest species of snake in the world?
Green Anaconda
Boiga
King Cobra
Garter Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Green anacondas are absolutely massive snakes. They are the heaviest species and one of the longest as well. Green anacondas will grow to lengths of 16 or 17 feet while the heaviest on record weighed over 200 pounds.

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Corn Snake
SloanePhoenix via WikiCommons
Rodent populations are kept under control by this helpful snake that also makes a good pet. Can you identify it?
Hill Keelback
Mojave Rattlesnake
Gaboon Viper
Corn Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Corn snakes are sadly often mistaken for copperheads in the wild and meet a tragic end as a result. The difference is that corn snakes are quite docile and not venomous. Their ability to control the pest population makes them quite beneficial.

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Green Snake
Dr. Raju Kasambe via WikiCommons
Effective camouflage is this snake's best defense. What is it?
Fox Snake
Congo Snake
Pit Viper
Green Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Green snakes are protected by law in several states even though they're not technically endangered. In Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado it's illegal for anyone to collect the snakes commercially or for individual collections.

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Red-headed Krait
touchthestove via WikiCommons
Even though this snake is venomous it's also rather lazy and rarely bites. What is it called?
Sri Lankan Pit Viper
Red-Headed Krait
Savu Python
Harlequin Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Few snakes are as visually striking as a red-headed krait. Their name isn't hyperbolic in any way; these snakes have dark black bodies contrasted with remarkably bright red heads.

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Black Mamba
TimVickers via WikiCommons
Few snakes around the world are more feared than this one. What is it?
Brown Taipan
Black Mamba
Mexican Racer
Tentacled Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The black mamba is one of the deadliest snakes in the world, and not just due to its highly potent venom. The mamba is also incredibly fast and will frequently strike when provoked (and sometimes when not provoked at all).

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Hognose Snake
NPS via WikiCommons
Some people call this snake a Texas Rooter. What else is it called?
Western Hognose Snake
Indian Krait
Lancehead
Trinket
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The western hognose snake gets its name from a little scale that grows at the end of its snout. The scale rises up, making it look like it has an upturned snout, not unlike a pig.

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Arizona Coral Snake
Bob Beatson via WikiCommons
What is this snake that you likely won't see during the day unless it gets rained out of its burrow?
Zebra Spitting Cobra
Arizona Coral Snake
Milk Snake
Blind Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bold red, black and yellow color patterns of the coral snake make them very easy to pick out of a crowd, though you might want to avoid them. They're venomous and they also engage in something called "cloacal popping" which is a very polite way to say they fart when threatened.

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American Copperhead
Magalhães via WikiCommons
If you translate the scientific name of this snake it's called "twisted hook-tooth." What is it better known as?
Collett's Snake
Blood Python
American Copperhead
Palm Viper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

American copperheads are pit vipers that can be found all over the United States. They aren't typically aggressive. However, because they tend to freeze when startled rather than fleeing, many bites will occur simply due to people not noticing them.

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Eastern Diamondback
Ryan E. Poplin via WikiCommons
Bites from this snake have a high mortality rate. Do you recognize it?
Brown Boa
Red-Backed Rat Snake
Indian Python
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes are considered the most venomous snakes in North America. They are the largest rattler species but, despite all of that, they're not known for being overly aggressive. Of course, if you hear the warning rattle, it's a good indication that you should back off.

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Black Headed Python
Sardaka via WikiCommons
Native to Australia, these snakes are actually rather docile. Do you know them?
Pipe Snake
Black-Headed Python
Texas Night Snake
Blind Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Black-headed pythons live in dry, desert areas and are non-venomous. When they're backed into a corner, they're surprisingly chill as far as snakes go and will often strike with a closed mouth.

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King Cobra
Jubair1985 via WikiCommons
In India, this is the national reptile. Does it look familiar?
King Cobra
Lancehead
Spotted Python
Timber Rattlesnake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The king cobra is fairly easy to recognize thanks to its massive size and distinctive hood. The hood flares up when the snake is threatened, but its the length, up to 13 feet, and in at least one case over 19 feet, that is most dramatic.

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Gold Ringed Cat Snake
Cymothoa exigua via WikiCommons
Which snake is sometimes known as a mangrove snake?
Gold-Ringed Cat Snake
Burrowing Cobra
Indigo Snake
River Jack
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The gold-ringed cat snake is mildly venomous and quite easily recognizable thanks to its namesake bands of golden yellow scales. Even though the venom of the snake is mild, they also get a little jittery when people try to handle them, so bites are not uncommon and result in painful swelling.

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Sidewinder Snake
National Park Service via WikiCommons
Which of these snakes have venom that's just not nearly as potent as some of their cousins?
Sidewinder
Scarlet Snake
Cat Snake
Banded Krait
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sidewinders are rattlesnakes but don't have venom quite as potent as other rattlesnakes. That isn't to say a sidewinder bite is a walk in the park. It can cause severe pain, swelling, nausea, dizziness, chills and more.

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Milk Snake
Deror avi via WikiCommons
Do you know this snake you might find in a barn?
Patchnose Snake
Snail-Eating Snake
Water Moccasin
Milk Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Milk snakes got their name from a myth about their behavior. People used to believe milk snakes would sneak up to cows and suck the milk from their udders. A snake doesn't have the ability to do that, mind you, so it's not true at all.

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Red-Necked Keelback
Rushenb via WikiCommons
Which deadly snake did people used to think was harmless, but it's not?
Red-Necked Keelback
Tokara Habu
Sunbeam Snake
Tentacled Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The red-necked keelback can envenomate when it bites, but it doesn't do so in a way common to snakes. Rather than inject venom with fangs, venom mixes with their saliva and will simply ooze into bite wounds.

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Gaboon Viper
Jannes Pockele via WikiCommons
Do you know which snake has two-inch fangs, making them the longest fangs in the world?
Gaboon Viper
Paradise Flying Snake
Grey Rattler
Desert Cobra
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gaboon vipers not only have the longest fangs of any snake species, but they also have the highest venom yield of any snake as well. That said, gaboons are not known to be particularly aggressive, so bites are not all that common.

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Ball Python
Tris T7 via WikiCommons
Many people keep these snakes as pets. Do you know what they are?
Ball Python
Coral Snake
Grass Snake
King Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ball pythons are the smallest pythons and tend to be extremely docile, which is why they make such good pets. The name "ball" python comes from the snake's tendency to curl up in a ball when they're frightened.

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Golden Tree Snake
Conrad Baetsle via WikiCommons
This snake can fly. Can you tell us what it's called?
Sand Adder
Bushmaster
Golden Tree Snake
Beaked Sea Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Golden tree snakes are often called flying snakes thanks to the fact they have the curious ability to glide from branch to branch. It is able to suck in its abdomen and shape its body like a long, thin wing. They can glide distances of over 300 feet.

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Olive Sea Snake
Sylke Rohrlach via WikiCommons
Photoreceptors on this snake's tail allow it to sense the light. Do you know it?
Stilleto Snake
Gopher Snake
Olive Sea Snake
Bull Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Olive sea snakes live among coral reefs and are highly venomous. Unique among most snakes, the olive sea snake has photoreceptors in its tail so that when it's hiding in the coral, it will know if its tail is sticking out where it can be seen.

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Gray Ratsnake
Will Brown via WikiCommons
Can you tell us the name of this snake that you can find on the ground or in the trees of North America?
African Rock Python
Brown Tree Snake
Gray Ratsnake
Small-Eyed Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gray ratsnakes have a number of clever defense mechanisms. They can play dead, freezing their bodies in crooked poses, as well as rattle their tail against surfaces to make a warning buzz. And most effective may be the way they release a bit of nasty smelling goo from their back end.

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Monocled Cobra
Vassil via WikiCommons
Name this snake from Thailand that has the highest mortality rate of all snakes?
Ribbon Snake
Shield-Tailed Snake
Monocled Cobra
Leaf Viper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The monocled cobra is a highly venomous snake with fangs that have been specially adapted for spitting venom. Some cobras are able to spit venom distances of over six feet with remarkable accuracy. They tend to aim for the eyes to blind their prey.

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Boa Constrictor
Paata Vardanashvili via WikiCommons
Unlike many snake breeds, this one has two lungs, even though the left one doesn't really do anything. Can you identify it?
Bird Snake
Boa Constrictor
Copperhead
Blue Krait
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Boa constrictors are some of the most well-known snakes in the world. In fairness, many types of boas can be called boa constrictors since they do constrict, but they are also a distinct breed amongst all boas as well.

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Ground Snake
Geoff Gallice via WikiCommons
Miter snake is another name for this one. Do you recognize it?
Many-Spotted Cat Snake
Western Ground Snake
Grey Asp
Silver Adder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The western ground snake can be found throughout the Southwestern United States. You're not likely to find one of these snakes unless you go hunting through ditches at night.

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Eyelash Viper
Paul Harrison via WikiCommons
The fangs of this snake fold back against its jaw when they're not in use. What is it?
Crowned Snake
Eyelash Viper
Fierce Snake
Green Vine Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eyelash vipers are oddly popular as exotic pets despite the fact they're venomous and highly dangerous. Thanks to their unusual appearance resulting from the small horns above its eyes that resemble eyelashes, people want them as pets.

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Garter Snake
Steve Jurvetson via WikiCommons
Massachusettes named this their state reptile. Do you know what it is?
Bush Viper
Wart Snake
Garter Snake
Canebrake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The common garter snake is one of the most common snakes in all of North America. They're small and basically harmless and range from Canada down to parts of South America.

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Parrot Snake
Geoff Gallice via WikiCommons
Lora is another name for this snake. What is it?
Habu
Plains Hognose
Parrot Snake
Scarlet Kingsnake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Parrot snakes can be found in Central and South America. Even though they're very thin, they can grow to lengths of over 5 feet. They're fairly easy to recognize thanks to their bright coloration, large eyes, and an unusually large mouth.

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California Kingsnake
Ltshears via WikiCommons
Tell us the name of this colorful snake that makes a very popular pet.
Bull Snake
Yellow Vine Snake
White Taipan
California Kingsnake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

California kingsnakes make for great pets as they are typically not very aggressive, and they aren't venomous. If provoked, they will bite, though it's not generally a painful affair. They're also highly resistant to the venom of other snakes, which allows them to attack and eat things like rattlesnakes.

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Brown Tree Snake
Gordon H. Rodda via WikiCommons
Which species is responsible for eradicating numerous bird species in Guam?
Brown Tree Snake
Hognose Snake
House Snake
Coral Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Brown tree snakes are native to Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. They were accidentally introduced to the island of Guam, where they bred prolifically and managed to exterminate much of the local bird population.

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Texas Lyre Snake
Dawson via WikiCommons
This snake can kill by venom or by constriction. Do you know what it is?
Texas Lyre Snake
Small-Eyed Snake
River Jack
Dwarf Pipe Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Texas lyre snake gets its name from the V-shaped marking on the back of its head, which resembles a lyre. Of course, not a lot of people even know what a lyre is these days, since it was a musical instrument quite a while ago that almost no one uses anymore.

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Worm Snake
John Sullivan via WikiCommons
What snake is also known as the brahminy blind snake?
Worm Snake
Pit Viper
Brown Taipan
Flying Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Worm snakes are a species of blind snake that got their name for the obvious resemblance they bear to earthworms. They're eyeless and burrow underground like earthworms as well, and likely get mistaken for them very often.

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Inland Taipan
Bjoertvedt via WikiCommons
No snake in the world is more toxic than this one. What is it?
Aruba Rattlesnake
Pine Snake
Nose-Horned Viper
Inland Taipan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The inland taipan is not just a deadly snake, it's a snake designed to be exceedingly deadly. More than many reptiles, the taipan is specifically suited for killing mammals, and its venom is adapted to kill warm-blooded things more efficiently.

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Asian Vine Snake
Rushen via WikiCommons
Almost no other animal on earth has eyes like this unusual snake. Tell us what it is.
Tree Boa
Sharp's Anaconda
Green Mamba
Asian Vine Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Asian vine snakes can grow to be nearly 5 feet in length and are bright green with pointed, triangular heads. Most unique are the eyes of the snake, which, unlike nearly any other reptile, have pupils that are oddly keyhole-shaped.

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Boomslang
safaritravelplus via WikiCommons
"Tree snake" is what the name of this snake actually means. What is it?
Kukri Snake
Mussurana
Krait
Boomslang
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A boomslang is a highly venomous and brightly colored snake from sub-Saharan Africa. It can open its jaws to an immense 170 degrees, which allows it to embed its large fangs into prey and inject a remarkably potent hemotoxin, which causes excessive bleeding.

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Eastern Racer
Peter Paplanus via WikiCommons
Which of these little snakes usually won't grow beyond two feet in length?
Eastern Racer
Black Snake
Beauty Rat Snake
Glossy Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eastern racers are fairly accurately named snakes. They're found east of the Rocky Mountains, and they're also quite fast when they're in danger, which is where the racer part of the name comes from. If you do catch one, they may not be venomous, but they do bite.

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Tiger Snake
Stevage via WikiCommons
What is this snake called?
Eastern Rattler
Red Racer
Tiger Snake
Mangrove Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tiger snakes can be found throughout Mexico and South America. They look very distinctive with a pattern that alternates yellow and black, hence the tiger snake name. They can also grow to a fairly considerable length of nearly 9 feet.

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Death Adder
Taipan198 via WikiCommons
Be wary of this snake, as it's one of the most venomous in the world. Do you know what it's called?
Rat Snake
Death Adder
Gopher Snake
Twig Snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Death adders didn't get their name for no reason. They're some of the most venomous snakes on Earth. Oddly enough, the name of this snake in Australia was originally "deaf" adder because the snakes stand their ground and refuse to flee when approached, which made some think they couldn't hear.

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frank wouters via WikiCommons