Snakes move by using their muscles, ribs, and scales in coordinated ways to propel themselves without legs. Their movement relies heavily on friction and pushing off surfaces around them.

How Snakes Move

1. Serpentine (Lateral Undulation) Movement
This is the most common form of snake locomotion, often called slithering. The snake forms S-shaped curves with its body and pushes off irregularities in the ground such as rocks, sticks, or bumps. The muscles attached to its ribs contract to create these curves, and the scales, which have directional friction, grip the ground to prevent slipping backward. This allows the snake to push sideways against the environment and move forward efficiently. On very smooth surfaces, snakes struggle because they lack these anchor points

. 2. Concertina Movement
Used in tight spaces, the snake anchors the front part of its body while extending the rear forward, then it anchors the rear and pulls the front forward. This alternating anchoring and stretching allow movement in confined areas such as tunnels or narrow crevices

. 3. Sidewinding
This movement is adapted for loose or slippery surfaces like sand or mud. The snake lifts parts of its body off the ground and moves sideways in a series of loops, minimizing contact with hot or unstable surfaces. Sidewinding involves a combination of lateral (side-to-side) and vertical (up-and-down) body movements, allowing the snake to "walk" forward using three anchor points at a time

. 4. Rectilinear (Linear) Progression
Used mostly by large or heavy snakes and those living underground, this mode involves the snake moving in a straight line without bending its spine. The snake uses muscles to push its loose belly skin forward, anchoring it to the ground, and then pulls the rest of the body along. This results in a smooth, gliding forward motion

Biological Mechanisms Behind Movement

• Snakes have hundreds of ribs and many muscles that allow complex bending and pushing motions.
• Their scales have a directional frictional property, meaning they grip the surface better in one direction, helping propulsion.
• The combination of muscle contractions, rib movement, and scale friction enables snakes to move effectively on various terrains, including climbing and swimming

In summary, snakes move by pushing off surfaces with their muscular, rib- supported bodies and using their specialized scales for directional grip, employing different locomotion modes depending on their environment and needs.