In the world of snakes, the Javan wart snake would seem less than the best predator. It's not sleek, it's not venomous, nor can it, like a constrictor, squeeze the breath out of its prey. Still, this slow-moving snake thrives at the bottom of rivers and lakes. It can hold its breath for more than an hour, and it also uses its ugly, warty skin to help catch meals.
The Skinny: Instead of smooth, overlapping scales, the wart snake's skin is rough, and each scale interlocks with those around it. This creates loose skin around the snake's body, like a pair of baggy-fit jeans.
Mr. Sensitive: This snake got its name from the small bumps that bulge from each scale. Tiny hairs grow out of these "warts," which are sensitive to touch, telling the snake when a fish it poking into its camouflaged coils. These hairs also help the snake grip slippery surfaces.
No Breather[]
This snake scouts for a meal underwater.
The Javan wart snake was made for life in the water. This snake doesn't have the broad scales on its body that help other snakes slither over land, so it's slow and awkward when on the ground. However, when it swims, the water snake's baggy skin spreads wide and thin, and that streamlines this reptile so it can move swiftly and gracefully as it chases its prey. This snakes does breathe air, but can hold its breath for more than an hour. Small flaps cover its nostrils while underwater.
Peekaboo: An adult Javan wart snake never leaves the water. Its eyes and nose sit at the top of the snake's head so, like a crocodile, it can poke just these parts of its body above the surface when it needs to take a breath.
Go Straight: If in danger, this snake straightens out its six-foot body and flexes its muscles so it becomes stiff as a stick. Even large fish realize that they simply cannot eat something that big and rigid.
Wart Attack[]
- A Javan wart snake rests on the bottom of a river, setting an ambush for curious fish. The snake's coils blend in with the sand, so the fish views the snake as part of the riverbed.
- The fish pokes its nose into the snake's coils, setting off the predator's touch sensors. The snake tightens up its coils, trapping the fish in the folds of its rough skin.
- The wart snake can't inject venom into the fish, nor is the snake strong enough to squeeze it to death. Instead, the snake simply reaches over and engulfs the victim in its wide jaws.
Trivia[]
- The Javan wart snake is featured in Super-Senses on Monster Mania 45.