What specialized weapon system fundamentally distinguishes the Viperidae family?
Answer
A pair of long, hinged, hollow fangs attached to a movable maxillary bone
The defining characteristic of the Viperidae family is their specialized dentition, known as solenoglyphous, where long, hollow fangs are hinged and folded back against the roof of the mouth when not striking.
Related Questions
What specialized weapon system fundamentally distinguishes the Viperidae family?Which major landmass or region lacks native populations of the Viperidae family?What reproductive mode is characteristic of the small Azemiopinae subfamily?What defining sensory organ gives the Crotalinae subfamily its common name, Pit Vipers?Which Viperidae subfamily is restricted geographically to the Old World (Africa, Asia, Europe) and is explicitly not native to the Americas?What specialized term describes the hinged, folding fang system found in all viperids?What type of enzyme generally characterizes the venom profile of vipers, causing severe localized tissue damage?What is a nearly universal physical feature shared across the Viperidae family related to scale texture?Besides the primary three subfamilies, which group is sometimes recognized as a fourth, distinct subfamily within Viperidae?What is the typical reproductive strategy observed in the majority of species within the Viperinae subfamily?