Snakes are among the most diverse and adaptable animals on the planet, with over 3,000 species living in a wide range of habitats and feeding on various kinds of prey. But how did they evolve such remarkable diversity and adaptability?
The answer lies in their skulls, which show how snakes have changed and specialized over millions of years to suit their environments and diets.
The Shape of the Skull Reflects the Nature of the Prey
ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images
One of the most striking features of snake skulls is their ability to expand and contract to swallow prey much larger than their heads.
This is possible because of the numerous joints and ligaments that connect the bones of the skull, allowing them to move independently and flexibly.
A snake skull is composed of three main regions: the neurocranium, which encloses the brain; the splanchnocranium, which forms the jaws and the hyoid apparatus; and the dermatocranium, which covers the other two regions and forms the roof, sides, and floor of the skull.
Different snake species have different skull shapes and sizes, depending on their preferred prey and foraging strategies.
For example, some snakes, such as vipers, have short and wide skulls with large fangs and venom glands, which enable them to deliver a quick and deadly bite to their prey.
Other snakes, such as pythons, have long and narrow skulls with many small teeth, which allow them to grip and constrict their prey before swallowing it whole.
Some snakes, such as natricines, have elongated and slender skulls with specialized teeth and jaws, which help them to catch and eat fish.
A recent study by researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington examined the skull shapes of dipsadine snakes, a diverse group of snakes in Central and South America that feed on a variety of prey, such as frogs, lizards, rodents, and snails.
The researchers also found that the skull shape of these snakes was influenced by their phylogenetic history, with closely related snakes having similar skull shapes regardless of their diet.
The Evolution of the Skull Mirrors the History of the Snakes
The skull of a snake is not only a functional adaptation, but also a historical record of the evolution of snakes from their lizard-like ancestors.
Snakes are believed to have originated from a group of burrowing or aquatic lizards that lost their limbs and developed elongated bodies to suit their lifestyles.
The fossil evidence for the origin and diversification of snakes is scarce and fragmentary, but some recent discoveries have shed light on how snakes got their bite and lost their legs.
One of these discoveries is Najash rionegrina, a snake fossil from Argentina that dates back to about 90 million years ago.
This snake had a fully developed snake skull, with a flexible jaw and a large quadrate bone, which connects the lower jaw to the skull.
However, it also had well-developed hind limbs, which indicated that it was not fully adapted to a limbless lifestyle.
Another discovery is Tetrapodophis amplectus, a snake fossil from Brazil that dates back to about 110 million years ago.
This snake had a typical snake body, with a long and slender trunk and a short tail. However, it also had four limbs, each with five digits, which suggested that it was capable of walking and grasping.
Moreover, it had a unique skull, with a short and narrow snout and small and unspecialized teeth, which imply that it was not a specialized predator like modern snakes.
These fossils show that the evolution of snakes was not a simple and linear process, but a complex and mosaic one, involving multiple changes and adaptations in different parts of the body and at different times.
A snake skull is a key piece of evidence that reveals how snakes have evolved and adapted to their diverse and challenging environments and diets.
