Subcaudal Scales Snakes

Subcaudal Scales Snakes

Subcaudal Scales 

The scales found along the tail and up to the cloaca can be very useful for identifying species. Determining if the subcaudal scales (the scales below the cloaca) are divided or not can delineate entire families of snakes. 

Photos from Wikicommons, created by user AshLin.

Subcaudals divided.  2 “rows” of scales after the cloaca. 

Subcaudals undivided. There is 1 “row” of scales after the cloaca.


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