Michael D. Kern / Rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta) captive, from Hispaniola, Caribbean, Vulnerable species

Michael D. Kern / Black headed cat eye snake (Boiga nigriceps) captive, from SE Asia

Pete Oxford / Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) The Orianne Indigo Snake Preserve, Telfair County, Georgia, USA, threatened species, captive

Klaus Echle / Black Viper / Adder (Vipera berus) head in profile. Black Forest, Germany, June.

Steve Nicholls / Skeleton of a Python (Python sp)

Juergen Freund / Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) perched on a tree branch overlooking the Australian outback. Queensland, Australia, February

Daniel Heuclin / Arizona mountain kingsnakes (Lampropeltis pyromelana) Found in Chiricahua mountains, SE Arirona. Controlled conditions

James Christensen / Black-naped Forest Racer (Dendrophidion nuchale), Mindo, Ecuador

Paul Hobson / Grass snake (Natrix natrix) swimming amongst duck weed, Oxfordshire, UK

Luis Quinta / Juvenile male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) Alentejo, Portugal

David Shale / Fangtooth (Anoplogaster cornuta) portrait, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic Ocean

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Clark's Coral Snake (Micrurus clarki) venomous snake with warning coloration, rainforest, Costa Rica

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) portrait, Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona

Tony Phelps / Adder {Vipera berus} melanic / black form female with normal morph young. Dorset, UK

Michael Richards / John Downer / Spitting cobra sprays twin jets of venom with deadly accuracy at eyes of attacker (Resolution restriction - image digitised from film, 'Weird Nature' tv series)

Anup Shah / Celebes / Black crested macaque (Macaca nigra) group gathering around a snake they have found on the beach, Tangkoko National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Anup Shah / Celebes / Black crested macaque (Macaca nigra) group gathering around a snake they have found on the beach, Tangkoko National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Jeff Rotman / Close-up of High-Fin Snake Eel (Ophichthus altipennis). Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Celebes Sea, Indonesia

Chris Mattison / Mole Snake (Pseudaspis cana) black form on lichen. Namaqualand, South Africa, October.

Tom Vezo / Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus), Arizona

MYN / Seth Patterson / Texas Coral Snake (Micrurus tener) head portrait, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, September. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Seth Patterson / Texas Coral Snake (Micrurus tener) head portrait, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, September. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Seth Patterson / Texas Coral Snake (Micrurus tener) coiled, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, September. meetyourneighbours.net project

Michael D. Kern / Temple pitviper (Tropidolaemus wagleri) captive, from SE Asia

Michael D. Kern / Amazon false coral snake (Oxyrhopus rhombifer rhombifer) captive, from South America

Michael D. Kern / Great Lakes / Black and green bush viper (Atheris nitschei) captive, from Africa

Michael D. Kern / Black headed cat eye snake (Boiga nigriceps) captive, from South East Asia

Michael D. Kern / White spotted cat snake (Boiga drapiezii) body forming figure of eight shape, captive, from South East Asia

Michael D. Kern / Asian vine / Oriental whip snake (Ahaetulla prasina) captive, from Asia

Michael D. Kern / African / Variable Bush Viper (Atheris squamigera) captive, from West and Central Africa

Michael D. Kern / Broadley's Bush Viper (Atheris broadleyi) captive from Cameroon and Central African Republic

Michael D. Kern / Mangshan Pitviper (Trimeresurus mangshanensis) captive from China

Michael D. Kern / Black Pakistani Cobra, (Naja naja karachiensis) captive from Middle East

Michael D. Kern / Beautiful / Vogals pitviper (Cryptelytrops venustus) captive from Thailand

Michael D. Kern / Bamboo pitviper, (Viridovipera stejnegeri) captive from Asia

Pete Oxford / Banded Calico Snake (Oxyrhopus petola digitalis), Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Charlie Summers / Black-chested Snake Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) in flight with snake in beak. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.

Charlie Summers / Black-chested snake eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) in flight with snake in beak. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.

Martin Willis / Black Tiger Snake (Notechis ater), Tasmania, Australia

Daniel Heuclin / Kramer's / Large Eyed Pit Viper (Cryptelytrops / Trimeresurus macrops). Captive. Endemic to South East Asia.

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Caninana / Black and yellow rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) in tree, Tableland Atlantic Rainforest of Vale Natural Reserve, municipality of Linhares, Esparito Santo State, Eastern Brazil.

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Caninana / Black and yellow rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) on ground, Tableland Atlantic Rainforest of Vale Natural Reserve, municipality of Linhares, Espa­rito Santo State, Eastern Brazil.

MYN / Paul Marcellini / Southern swamp snake (Seminatrix pygaea cyclas) Hendry County, Florida, USA, May. meetyourneighbours.net project

Daniel Heuclin / Bolivian triad coral sanke (Micrurus frontifasciatus) coiled up on leaves, Bolivia, controlled conditions

Daniel Heuclin / Bolivian triad coral sanke (Micrurus frontifasciatus) on leaves, Bolivia, controlled conditions

Daniel Heuclin / Bolivian triad coral sanke (Micrurus frontifasciatus) on leaves, Bolivia, controlled conditions

Daniel Heuclin / Black lipped / Forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) found from Senegal to Zambia, captive

Ernie Janes / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) showing two colour forms, captive

Ernie Janes / Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) coiled around branch, captive

Sandesh Kadur / Common Vine snake (Ahaetulla nasuta) Western Ghats, Southern India

John Cancalosi / Tropical / Yellow rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) Costa Rica

John Cancalosi / Tropical / Yellow rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) Costa Rica

John Cancalosi / Tropical / Yellow rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) head, Costa Rica

John Cancalosi / Tropical / Yellow rat snake (Spilotes pullatus) Costa Rica

MYN / Paul Marcellini / Eastern coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) Florida, USA, April. meetyourneighbours.net project

John Cancalosi / Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) striking. Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, USA.

Pete Oxford / Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) black and yellow morphs, near hibernation den, Northern Georgia, USA, manipulated

Pete Oxford / Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) black morph near hibernation den, Northern Georgia, USA, manipulated

Pete Oxford / Timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) black and yellow morphs near hibernation den, Northern Georgia, USA, manipulated

Pete Oxford / Black pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi), endangered species, Southern USA, captive

Pete Oxford / Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi) The Orianne Indigo Snake Preserve, Telfair County, Georgia, USA, threatened species, captive

Pete Oxford / Black Rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta) eating lichen, captive

John Cancalosi / Black-headed Bushmaster (Lachesis melanocephala), a venomous pitviper, in coiled strike pose. Costa Rica. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Black-headed Bushmaster (Lachesis melanocephala) a venomous pitviper. Costa Rica. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Black-headed Bushmaster (Lachesis melanocephala), a venomous pitviper. Costa Rica. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Tropical / Western Green Rat Snake (Senticolis triaspis) close-up of head in striking pose. Santa Rosa National Park tropical dry forest, Costa Rica.

John Cancalosi / Black-headed Bushmaster (Lachesis melanocephala) coiled in strike pose, looking at camera. Costa Rica. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Black and Yellow Rat Snake (Spilotes pullatus) in strike pose, a defensive display. Costa Rican tropical rainforest.

John Cancalosi / Black and Yellow Rat Snake (Spilotes pullatus) in strike pose, a defensive display. Costa Rican tropical rainforest.

John Cancalosi / Side-striped Palm-pitviper (Bothriechis lateralis) coiled in strike pose. Costa Rica. Captive.

MYN / Clay Bolt / Ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus) Dacusville, Pickens County, South Carolina, USA, June.meetyourneighbours.net project

Sandesh Kadur / Asian cobra (Naja naja) with hood raised, Western Ghats, Sahyadri, Maharashtra, India

Klaus Echle / Black Viper / Adder (Vipera berus) portrait. Black Forest, Germany, June.

Pete Oxford / Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) at river, native to the southeastern United States

Pete Oxford / Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) at tortoise burrow, native to the southeastern United States

Pete Oxford / Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) juvenile, native to the eastern United States

Pete Oxford / Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi), native to the eastern United States

Pete Oxford / Northern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor) snake amid ferns, northern Georgia

Pete Oxford / Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi), native to the southern United States

Juergen Freund / Black finned snake eel (Ophichthus melanochir) outside its hole, free swimming. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Black finned snake eel (Ophichthus melanochir) with commensal shrimp. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Black finned snake eel (Ophichthus melanochir) looking out of its hole in the sea bed. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Juergen Freund / Researcher Guido Westhoff doing quick lab work with 2 fresh road kills, a King brown / Mulga snake (Pseudechis australis) and a Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) in a mobile laboratory. Q...

Juergen Freund / Researcher Guido Westhoff showing everted hemipenis of a road kill Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) in a mobile lab in the bush. Queensland, Australia, February 2008

Juergen Freund / Researcher Guido Westhoff handling a Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus). Queensland, Australia, February 2008

Juergen Freund / Researcher Guido Westhoff handling a Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus). Queensland, Australia, February 2008

Juergen Freund / Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) coiled in a figure-of-eight on white background with head raised. Taken in Queensland, Australia, February

Juergen Freund / Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) on white background stretching head high into the air. Taken in Queensland, Australia, February

Juergen Freund / Close-up of Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) head on white background. Taken in Queensland, Australia, February

Juergen Freund / Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) coiled on white background with head raised. Taken in Queensland, Australia, February

Juergen Freund / Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) seen from above, coiled on white background. Taken in Queensland, Australia, February

Juergen Freund / Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) beginning to uncoil on white background. Taken in Queensland, Australia, February

Juergen Freund / Massive 2.5 metre Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus) perched on a tree trunk in the forest. Queensland, Australia, February

Tony Phelps / Olive House Snake (Lamprophis inornatus) adult female. Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, January.

Tony Phelps / Olive House Snake (Lamprophis inornatus) adult female. Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, January.

Tony Phelps / Olive House Snake (Lamprophis inornatus) adult female. Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, January.