Snake families of the world

How snakes are grouped

Snakes live on every continent except Antarctica, from oceans and deserts to rainforest canopy and underground burrows. Despite that variety, almost every species falls into one of a few broad groups. Most are completely harmless; the medically dangerous snakes are concentrated in just two families, the vipers and the elapids.

Colubrids

The largest group by far. Generalist, mostly harmless snakes, ratsnakes, kingsnakes, gartersnakes, racers, and the like. Round pupils, no fangs at the front, no rattle.

Vipers & pit vipers

Heavy-bodied venomous snakes with long, folding fangs and triangular heads, including rattlesnakes, copperheads, adders, and lanceheads. All are venomous.

Elapids

Front-fanged venomous snakes, often with potent neurotoxic venom, cobras, mambas, kraits, coral snakes, taipans, and the marine sea snakes.

Boas & pythons

Non-venomous constrictors and some of the most ancient snakes alive, with tiny vestigial hind-limb spurs. Boas mostly bear live young; pythons lay eggs.

Blindsnakes & threadsnakes

Tiny, worm-like burrowers, including the smallest snakes on Earth. They live underground eating ant and termite brood, and are entirely harmless.

Everything else

Dozens of smaller families, file snakes, sunbeam snakes, pipe snakes, shield-tails, slug-eaters, that fill specialized niches around the world.