 | Quick Facts |  |
|  | Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Viperidae
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Family Viperidae
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Western Hog-nosed Pit Viper
The Viperidae family is made up of the Vipers and the Pit Vipers. Most have heavy bodies with short slender tails. They also have long fangs that enable them to penetrate their prey and deliver their venom. These fangs are hinged so that they can lay flat when the snake's mouth is closed. In the Pit Vipers, there is a pit organ that acts as an infrared sensing device that enables them to find their prey at night when the hunt. Some of the members of this family give birth to live young and some lay eggs. They are found on every continent except for Australia and in a wide variety of habitats ranging from tropical rainforest to arid desert.
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