Ventral scales explained

In snakes, the ventral scales or gastrosteges 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 (lowermost) row of dorsal scales on either side. The anal scale is not counted.^[1]

The term gastrostege (from Greek γαστήρ, γαστρός = belly and στέγη, στέγος = cover, roof) was more often used in the older literature, especially pre-1900 but is rarely used today.^{[2] [3]}

Related scales

• Preventral scales
• Anal scale
• Subcaudal scales
• Paraventral scales

See also

• Snake scale

Notes and References

1. Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere. 2 volumes. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. .
2. Book: American Philosophical Society. . Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia for promoting useful knowledge . Society . American Philosophical . 1885 . American Philosophical Society . v. 22 (1885) . Philadelphia.
3. Heatwole . Harold . Busack . Stephen . Cogger . Harold . September 2005 . https://bioone.org/journals/herpetological-monographs/volume-19/issue-1/0733-1347_2005_019_0001_GVISKO_2.0.CO_2/GEOGRAPHIC-VARIATION-IN-SEA-KRAITS-OF-THE-LATICAUDA-COLUBRINA-COMPLEX/10.1655/0733-1347(2005)019[0001:GVISKO2.0.CO;2.full Geographic Variation in Sea Kraits of the Laticauda Colubrina Complex (Serpentes: Elapidae: Hydrophiinae: Laticaudini) ]. Herpetological Monographs . 19 . 1 . 1–136 . 10.1655/0733-1347(2005)019[0001:GVISKO]2.0.CO;2 . 0733-1347.