New Albino Western Hognose.

[Jim Smith]

Beautiful little snake! I sometimes wonder what benefit hognose snakes derive from the shape of their snouts. It seems that every change in the morphology of an animal starts as an anomaly that then survives if it provides some sort of benefit to the animal. Perhaps it helps them burrow better or protects their nostrils from dirt when they do. Any other thoughts...

[SSSSnakes]

Originally Posted by Jim Smith

Beautiful little snake! I sometimes wonder what benefit hognose snakes derive from the shape of their snouts. It seems that every change in the morphology of an animal starts as an anomaly that then survives if it provides some sort of benefit to the animal. Perhaps it helps them burrow better or protects their nostrils from dirt when they do. Any other thoughts...

I would say it helps in the burrowing as all my Hogs love to burrow. That's just my opinion.

Nice looking little guy.

[Cmwells90]

Originally Posted by Jim Smith

Beautiful little snake! I sometimes wonder what benefit hognose snakes derive from the shape of their snouts. It seems that every change in the morphology of an animal starts as an anomaly that then survives if it provides some sort of benefit to the animal. Perhaps it helps them burrow better or protects their nostrils from dirt when they do. Any other thoughts...

I was doing research on them last week and was reading that the shape of the snout allows them to burrow as well as provides them with a structure for their hissing. The curve allows for louder hissing when blowing air through it.