MCQ Detailed View

Not all animals that look like snakes are actually true snakes. The correct answer to this question is the Glass Snake, which is not a true snake but a type of legless lizard.

Glass snakes belong to the genus Ophisaurus. At first glance, they strongly resemble snakes because they are long, slender, and have no visible legs. However, they are biologically classified as lizards, not snakes. The name "glass snake" comes from their unusual ability to shed or “break” their tail when threatened, a defense mechanism known as autotomy. The tail can break into several pieces, much like glass shattering, allowing the lizard to escape predators.

True snakes, belonging to the suborder Serpentes, have several characteristics that separate them from glass snakes. For example:

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  Snakes lack movable eyelids, while glass snakes have them.

  
  


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  Snakes do not have external ear openings, but glass snakes do.

  
  


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  Glass snakes have a less flexible jaw compared to true snakes, which limits their ability to swallow large prey.

  
  

Now let’s look at the other options:

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  Blind snakes are true snakes that live underground and feed mostly on ants and termites.

  
  


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  Sea snakes are true snakes adapted to life in the ocean. They are highly venomous and have flattened tails to help in swimming.

  
  


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  Tree snakes are also true snakes, often slender and arboreal (living in trees).

  
  

Therefore, among the given choices, only the glass snake is not a true snake. It is a legless lizard often mistaken for a snake due to its body shape, but careful study shows the important anatomical differences.

In conclusion, the correct answer is Glass Snake, since it is not a true snake but a reptile from the lizard family.