| Summary: | There are more than 3,000 species of snakes on the planet and they're found everywhere except in Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, and New Zealand. About 600 species are venomous, and only about 200 seven percent are able to kill or significantly wound a human. Of the terrestrial venomous snakes, four species are widespread on the Indian mainland – also known as the “big four.” They include spectacled cobra (Naja naja), common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell's viper (Daboia russelii), and saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus). Snake venom is a highly toxic saliva containing zootoxins that facilitates in the immobilization and digestion of prey. This also provides defense against threats. Snake venom is injected by unique fangs during a bite, whereas some species are also able to spit venom. simplified historical overview is that viper venoms are predominately hemorrhagic and elapid venoms neurotoxic. While this simplification holds for many species there are a number of examples of vipers causing neurotoxicity and elapids causing bleeding disturbances.
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