The slender, scaly, legless form of snakes is familiar to all but not everything that looks like a snake is really a snake. Through convergent evolution many other distantly related animals have arrived at remarkably similar forms. Why are there so many snake lookalikes? How can we know what is a snake and what is a fake? You will explore these questions through observations of images of preserved specimens drawn from the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology Herpetology Collection. After looking for traits that separate snakes from other legless animals, you will investigate the process through which snakes and their lookalikes have evolved their similar forms.
Teachers Guide
The comprehensive Teachers Guide includes a detailed lesson plan, background information, key vocabulary, and additional resources.
Student worksheet for download
- Herps Comparison Chart (link to Google doc)
- Student Research Guide (link to Google doc)
Video links
For students and teachers, there are four videos used in this activity:
Introduction to the MCZ Collections
Professor James Hanken, Director of the MCZ, discusses the history and purpose of the Museum. (5 min.)
Welcome to the Herpetology Collection
José Rosado, Collection Manager of the Herpetology Department at the MCZ, describes the depth and importance of the collection, how new specimens are added, and how the collection is used. (5 min.)
Is it a Snake?
Sofia Prado-Irwin explains how to distinguish snakes from other legless animals. (9 min.)