Anatomy Question

On a BP, what are all the openings around the top of the BPs mouth, and what are the used for? My kids and I were looking at morphs and leucistics, and we can't figure it out.

Heat sensing organs.

those detect heat:)

Thank you, I was thinking it was a nose of sorts.

Nope.. those are the two holes on top. ;)

I never noticed those before, I am teaching the kiddies a little bout snakes right now. I am learning my self.

check this out. its pretty cool http://ballpython.com/page.php?topic=scalation

I believe they are called labial pits and pick up the thermal signature of the prey/environment (please correct me if I'm wrong...still such a newb in so many ways LOL).


~~Jo~~

Mr Pythons post was very helpful, allowed me to show they kids with out trying to poke at Salina's face. Needless to say she doesn't like that.

i have seen that there called heat-receptor pits.I did not know what they was at first so i took off to the book store and got a book on ball pythons

An interesting side fact is that almost all pythons have heat sensing pits, but almost no boas do except for tree boas such as emerald tree boas.