The dentition in the snakes

The venomous snakes inject their venon thanks to a device formed by a pair of small glands, conduits, muscles, bones and eyeteeth.

One better understanding of the venom inyection system is represented you remember that the set of teeth plays a role very important and, for this reason, the snakes have been grouped in five dental series that is to say:

The majority of the snakes owns teeth, and these show to remarkable differences in their structure and function.

The teeth of the snakes are changed and they are replaced throughout all their life, unlike the mammals that only have one or two teethings.

The teeth usually have forms conic section simple or similar to a stake, although they can vary of form and size according to the mandibular region where they are.

The snakes own great amount of teeth whose function is the one to push the food towards the throat, but that stops to chew, and so they can devour the whole prey. Also they act as to retain the prey.

The specialized eyeteeth of the venomous snakes also are replaced during all the life of the animal.

A dental classification of the serpents exists, which allows to determine if these are venomous or not.

References:

Lancini, A. R. 1979. Serpientes de Venezuela. Armitano Editores. 262 pp.

López-Johnston, J. C. 2000. Consideraciones sobre los venenos de las serpientes, Ms. 78-92.

Rengifo, C y Rodríguez-Acosta, A. 2004. Serpientes, Veneno y Tratamiento Médico en Venezuela. Universidad Central de Venezuela. 80pp.

Rodríguez-Acosta Alexis , Alejandro Mondolfi, Rafael Orihuela, María Aguilar. 1995. ¿Qué hacer frente a un accidente ofídico?. Universidad Central de Venezuela. 46pp.