Medical Encyclopedia

Medical Encyclopedia

Poisonous snakes - series: Underbelly

 Underbelly

Poisonous snakes - series
Illustrations:

  • Rattlesnake
  • Defining features
  • Underbelly
  • One way to determine if a snake is venomous is to look at its underbelly. If there is a single row of scales leading to the anal plate, the snake is venomous.

    Update Date: 2/27/2008

    Updated by: Stephen C. Acosta, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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