Frontal scale (snakes): Difference between revisions

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imported>Howard Arvi Hughes
imported>Jaap Winius
(Added blind snake info from Wright & Wright (1957).)
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The '''frontal''' refers to one or more scales on top of the head located between the [[supraocular scales]]. In many snakes, such as [[Colubridae|colubrids]] and [[Elapidae|elapids]], this is a single large scale or plate. In most [[Crotalinae|crotalines]], however, this space is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped smaller scales that may be either keeled or smooth (see [[intersupraoculars]]).<ref name="C&L04">Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.</ref>
The '''frontal''' refers to one or more scales on top of the head located between the [[supraocular scales]]. In many snakes, such as [[Colubridae|colubrids]] and [[Elapidae|elapids]], this is a single large scale or plate. In most [[Crotalinae|crotalines]], however, this space is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped smaller scales that may be either keeled or smooth (see [[intersupraoculars]]).<ref name="C&L04">Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.</ref> In blind snakes (''[[Leptotyphlops]]''), the frontal is second plate in the median dorsal line on the crown behind the [[rostral scale]].<ref name="W&W57">Wright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates. (7th printing, 1985). 1105 pp. ISBN 0-8014-0463-0.</ref>


==Cited references==
==Cited references==

Revision as of 18:18, 18 December 2006

The frontal refers to one or more scales on top of the head located between the supraocular scales. In many snakes, such as colubrids and elapids, this is a single large scale or plate. In most crotalines, however, this space is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped smaller scales that may be either keeled or smooth (see intersupraoculars).[1] In blind snakes (Leptotyphlops), the frontal is second plate in the median dorsal line on the crown behind the rostral scale.[2]

Cited references

  1. Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. ISBN 0-8014-4141-2.
  2. Wright AH, Wright AA. 1957. Handbook of Snakes. Comstock Publishing Associates. (7th printing, 1985). 1105 pp. ISBN 0-8014-0463-0.