If you ask any biologist, zoologist, or herpetologist about why snakes are so cool, they all tell you that these danger noodles are the ultimate survival machines, constantly reinventing themselves at breakneck speed. While most reptiles evolve slowly, snakes rapidly adapt to new environments. That’s why they’re everywhere: deserts, jungles, oceans, your car radiators, and morning newspapers. You name it—there’s a snake that’s figured out how to thrive there.
But how is it possible for snakes to adapt to anything this cruel world has thrown around them since the beginning of time? Imagine a tiny, ancient ancestor slithering around, and then BOOM—millions of years later, we have everything from the tiniest burrowing snakes to gigantic Titanoboa and venomous cobras that can kill an elephant in one deadly strike. But what makes them such evolutionary rockstars? Let’s find out!
Snakes vs. Lizards: Who Evolves Faster?
There’s a study that looked at 11,000 species of reptiles, both snakes and lizards. And while both groups are diverse, snakes seem to have taken things to the next level. There are around 4,000 snake species today, varying in size from the smallest burrowing thread snakes to massive green anacondas. And that’s just the modern species. We can’t forget about the massive serpents like Titanoboa and Vasuki Indicus that were as big as a bus.
To figure out why snakes have been so successful, researchers analyzed the genomes of nearly 1,000 snakes and lizards. They also studied the stomach contents of over 60,000 museum specimens and field reports to track dietary changes. With all this data, they built an evolutionary family tree to see how body types and eating habits have changed over time.
Their findings were quite shocking: it turns out that snakes evolved three times faster than lizards! Their evolutionary journey began about 128 million years ago, but things really took off between then and 70 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period—that’s when everything was huge. Then, after the dinosaurs went extinct 66 million years ago, another evolutionary boom happened. And guess what? That rapid evolution hasn’t slowed down, which means they’re far from being done.
Why Are Snakes So Good at Adapting?
An evolutionary biologist from the University of Michigan, Daniel Rabosky, explains that snakes’ “evolutionary clock” ticks much faster than other animals. This means they can develop new traits quickly, allowing them to take advantage of changing environments. Just think about all the tricks that snakes are using to adapt and survive: venom, muscles, colors, senses—you name it, they got it!
Three major breakthroughs in their history were the shift to a limbless body, flexible skulls, and highly advanced chemical-sensing abilities. These adaptations let them hunt a huge variety of prey, opening the door for them to evolve into different species with specialized diets. When dinosaurs disappeared, snakes took full advantage of the new, mammal-dominated world, quickly adapting to eat the growing rodent populations and other emerging food sources. When the food supply is not an issue, animals tend to grow bigger. Consider observing humans today if you would like further evidence.
The Big Mystery: Why Are Snakes So Fast at Evolving?
Despite these findings, one big question remains: why do snakes evolve so much faster than lizards in the first place? Scientists don’t have a clear answer yet and can’t really explain it, but such is the nature of science—getting answers always leads to more questions.
What we do know is that snakes aren’t done evolving. Based on current trends, their rapid evolution is still in full swing. Even as you’re reading these words, there’s a little snake out there that’s probably found a new way to survive and thrive in its tiny domain. However small the change may be, those genes will be put to good use by future generations and improved upon if necessary.
So next time you see a snake, remember—you’re looking at one of nature’s most adaptable and fast-evolving creatures, always ready for whatever comes next!