About This Quiz
Don't slither away, these questions aren't that scary!
One of the things people fear most about snakes is being poisoned. While this is a somewhat valid fear to have (especially in some parts of the world), the fact remains that the vast majority of snakes alive today are nonvenomous—these snakes either constrict their foes or swallow them whole. Regardless, every year there are millions of reported cases of envenomings as a result of snake bites. These bites usually result in pain and paralysis, but in extreme cases death can occur. In fact, some of the deadliest venomous snakes in the world (like the inland taipan) can cause a fully grown adult to die in less than an hour if the bite is left untreated.
In this quiz, we've sorted through the hundreds of venomous snakes in the world and selected only the best of the best. These are some of the deadliest, most notable, or just the strangest venomous snakes from all of the corners of the world. So, do you think that you have what it takes to outsmart these deadly questions? Then let's jump right in and get started.
Although it is one of the most iconic snakes to have the title of "cobra," the king cobra is not actually a part of the genus Naja. The king cobra also holds the distinction of being the world's longest venomous snake species and on average they can reach up to 13 feet long.
As its name suggests, the black-banded sea krait spends most of its time underwater, venturing on land only to lay eggs. In some of the regions where it makes its home, this snake is simply referred to as the Chinese sea snake.
The western green mamba is a relatively nimble species of snake that is more at home in trees than on the ground. While its venom is extremely fast-acting and deadly, interaction between this snake and humans is rare because of its relatively shy nature.
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The spectacled cobra is also widely known as the Indian cobra, a name that is a direct reference to the Indian subcontinent where it primarily makes its home. It is notable for being one of the most significant animals in Indian mythology.
The beaked sea snake is notably responsible for well over half of all sea snake bites in the world. This relatively aggressive elapid is also known as the common sea snake in some regions.
The banded krait gets its name from its prominent coloration, which features alternating black and yellow bands. The length of the banded krait averages between 4 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 11 inches, making it one of the longest kraits in the world.
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The tiger rattlesnake gets its name from the striped pattern that covers its entire body. Its native habitat straddles the border between the United States and Mexico, specifically in Arizona and Sonora.
The eastern green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps), also known as the common mamba, East African green mamba, green mamba, or white-mouthed mamba, is a large, tree-dwelling, highly venomous snake species of the mamba genus Dendroaspis. [ed note: Plagiarized from Wikipedia. Suggest cutting first sentence. Was unable to make a note in the MFCS.] Like its cousin, the western green mamba, the eastern green mamba spends most of its time in trees. Although it is fast and can chase down prey, the eastern green mamba is not usually an active hunter, preferring to lie in wait to ambush its prey.
As its name suggests, the inland taipan has a geographical range that spans the inland regions of central-east Australia. It holds the distinction of being the most venomous snake in the world; however, its relatively shy nature means it is not considered to be the most dangerous.
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The Taiwanese krait is a venomous snake that makes its home in the marshy ares of Southeast Asia and southern China. The Taiwanese krait is also known in some regions as the Chinese krait or the many-banded krait.
The Indian krait is a species of snake that is prevalent throughout the Indian subcontinent, a fact that has often led to it being simply referred to as the common krait. In India, there are four snake species that are responsible for the vast majority of snakebites on humans and the common krait is without a doubt the most prevalent offender.
The annulated sea snake is a species of aquatic snake that makes its home throughout the Indian Ocean and also throughout the waters of the Western Pacific Ocean. It primarily makes its home in somewhat shallow coastal waters, where it feeds on invertebrates, eels, and other relatively small fish.
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The rinkhals is a species of venomous snake that makes its home in the southern reaches of Africa. While the rinkhals is not actually a true cobra it is often referred to as the ring-necked spitting cobra because of its appearance.
Dugites are not particularly aggressive around humans; however, they are often found living close to human settlements. The dugite's venom can be fatal to humans, with victims experiencing swelling, intense pain, and eventually death if the bite is left untreated.
Fea's viper is often thought to be one of the most primitive vipers that is still alive to this day. It can be found throughout Southeast Asia, primarily in Tibet, Vietnam, and Southern China.
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While the Mojave rattlesnake shares its name with the Mojave Desert in California, its range extends further south into a large portion of Mexico as well. It holds the distinction of having the most potent rattlesnake venom in the world.
The forest cobras can reach up to 10 feet in length, a fact that makes it the longest true cobra in the world. It is notably the 4th most venomous species of cobra in the world, having venom that can cause death within half-an-hour to two hours.
As its name suggests, the olive-brown sea snake has adapted to be able to live underwater, only surfacing on occasion to breathe. Its diet primarily consists of fish eggs, fish, and crustaceans.
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While it can sometimes be seen in some parts of Southeast Asia, the Chinese cobra primarily makes its home in southeastern China and Taiwan. The venom of the Chinese cobra can be fatal if left untreated; however, the appropriate antivenom is readily available in many areas.
The eastern coral snake makes its home in the southeastern reaches of the US, with a range that covers all of Florida and parts of the adjoining states. It is oftentimes referred to as the American cobra, even though it is not considered a true cobra.
The common death adder makes its home in the eastern and southern reaches of Australia. It is not an active hunter, it instead prefers to wait and ambush passing prey.
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This aquatic snake species makes its home in relatively shallow waters off the coast of Australia. On average they can grow to a length of about 6 and a half feet, but one was found to be over 8 feet long.
The lowland copperhead can pose a significant threat to human life if it feels threatened, since its venom can potentially cause death if left untreated for even a short amount of time. The lowland copperhead is primarily found in Tasmania and the southeastern reaches of the Australian mainland.
Although it may look unassuming with its relatively dull appearance, the eastern brown snake is the runner-up for most venomous land snake. In addition, records have shown that it is the culprit behind over half of Australia's snake-bite deaths.
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As its name suggests, the Congo water cobra is well adapted to functioning in water and can usually be found hiding under bridges or among rocks. Its secondary name, Christy's water cobra, is a direct reference to the English zoologist Dr. Cuthbert Christy.
The black mamba is a Sub-Saharan snake that has a notorious reputation in the area because of both its size and its toxicity. This African snake holds the distinction of being the runner-up for longest venomous snake in the world, being beat only by the king cobra.
The western brown snake is one of the most common snakes in Australia and it can be found throughout most of the country's regions. Although it is most at home in arid locations in the wild, the western brown snake can also sometimes be found living in urban areas as well.
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The mainland tiger snake primarily makes its home in Australia's southern reaches, around wetlands and coastal regions. The name of this extremely venomous snake species is a reference to its banded coloration that somewhat resemble the stripes of a tiger.
While most snakes lay eggs when reproducing, female yellowbelly sea snakes actually go against this norm and keep the eggs within their bodies and bear live young. The range of this snake is quite extensive, being found in all tropical waters around the world except for the Atlantic Ocean.
The Indochinese spitting cobra is a deadly venomous snake that makes its home in Southeast Asia. Its first method of attacking is usually to try and spit venom at its foe, if this fails then it will then try to bite in order to envenom its target.
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The range of the saw-scaled viper extends from the Middle East all the way throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is also notable for being a member of the "big four" snake group, which is the group of snakes that causes the most snake bites (on humans) in the Indian subcontinent.
The name of this snake describes its geographical distribution perfectly, as it can only be found in the most northerly reaches of the Philippines. The Philippine cobra is extremely venomous and is capable of spitting its venom at its adversaries at high speeds.
The coastal taipan makes its home in warm coastal areas throughout the southern portion of New Guinea, as well as the eastern and northern reaches of Australia. When ranking the most venomous land snakes, the coastal taipan comes in third behind the inland taipan and eastern brown snake.
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As its name suggests, the primary geographic range of this snake stretches across a large portion of Mexico's west coast. The scientific name of the Mexican west coast rattlesnake (basiliscus) is a direct reference to the massive mythological serpent king, the basilisk.
One of the most notable things about the Dubois' sea snake is the fact that it holds the title of most venomous sea snake in the world. As a direct reference to its preferred habitat, this snake is sometimes referred to as the reef shallows sea snake.
The speckled brown snake has a relatively limited geographical range that primarily encompasses a significant portion of the northeastern reaches of Australia. It has, however, been known to leave its native area on occasion, and has been seen in Queensland and even as far south as South Australia.
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Russell's viper is native to the Indian subcontinent and most of the adjoining areas (like Southern China and parts of Southeast Asia). Its name is a direct reference to the notable Scottish herpetologist Patrick Russell.
Its name is a reference to the fact that it is largely native to the capes of South Africa (namely the Northern Cape, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape). The Cape Cobra primarily prefers to inhabit arid locations like deserts and savannas; however, it can be found in forested areas as well.
The monocled cobra is relatively abundant in its natural habitat and it is one of the many diverse species of cobra that can be found in South and Southeast Asia. They are often hunted for their skins, but they are still not in any danger of being endangered.
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Like many cobras, the Caspian cobra will generally try to avoid humans; however, it is notable for being quick to anger and very aggressive if it feels even somewhat threatened. The range of this venomous snake extends across the northern reaches of the Indian subcontinent and a significant portion of central Asia.