ecdysis

Snakes are members of the class Reptilia, order Squamata, and suborder Serpentes. There are over 3,500 species of snakes in the world, however, for the most part, the anatomy of the snake is consistent across species.

Snakes have a long narrow body adapted for crawling and their internal anatomy has evolved to fit into a long narrow tube. It is possible to divide this tube into four quadrants (Fig 1). Although the sequence of organs is the same for all species, the relative position and size of the viscera can vary significantly between and within families. The quadrant system can be useful in developing a general understanding of organ location. This knowledge can be beneficial in diagnostics and treatment, such as identifying an area from which to make a surgical approach for a specific organ system.