Proteroglyphous

Proteroglyphous refers to a mode of venom delivery in snakes in which the fangs are located at the front of the upper jaw and are permanently erect. The fangs are relatively short, fixed in place, and connected to venom glands. When the snake bites, venom is delivered through the hollow fangs via a direct injection path. This contrasts with solenoglyphous snakes, whose long fangs fold back against the roof of the mouth, and with opisthoglyphous or rear-fanged snakes, which have fangs toward the rear of the mouth.

Most proteroglyphous snakes belong to the family Elapidae, including cobras (Naja and relatives), kraits (Bungarus), mambas (Dendroaspis), and sea snakes (Hydrophiinae). In these snakes, venom delivery relies on fixed, forward-facing fangs connected to specialized venom glands. The venom composition varies by species, with many elapids possessing potent neurotoxins that affect the nervous system.

Compared with solenoglyphous vipers, proteroglyphous snakes typically have shorter fangs and less jaw deformation, which influences striking mechanics and venom delivery. The term is primarily used in herpetology to describe the front-fanged condition found in elapids and related front-fanged lineages. Human encounters with proteroglyphous snakes can be medically significant, and bites require appropriate medical evaluation and treatment, as venom effects and venom delivery can vary by species and circumstance.