Preventral scales
Encyclopedia
Preventral scales are positioned anterior to the ventral scales
and are wider than they are long, but do not come into contact with the paraventral row
of dorsal scales
on either side of the body.
Ventral scales
In snakes, the ventral scales are the enlarged and transversely elongated scales that extend down the underside of the body from the neck to the anal scale. When counting them, the first is the anteriormost ventral scale that contacts the paraventral row of dorsal scales on either side...
and are wider than they are long, but do not come into contact with the paraventral row
Paraventral scales
In snakes, the paraventral scales are the longitudinal rows of dorsal scales that contact the ventral scales. These are the first rows of dorsal scales on either side of the body and are usually slightly larger than the scales located more dorsally...
of dorsal scales
Dorsal scales
In snakes, the dorsal scales are the longitudinal series of plates that encircle the body, but do not include the ventral scales.When counting dorsal scales, numbers are often given for three points along the body, for example 19:21:17...
on either side of the body.