[jayclora]

Jay-c Lora  asked the Naked Scientists:
   Hi TNS

I have a question about snakes. I know there are 2-headed snakes (Polycephalic?) and there are lots of evidences about them that you could find specially in the internet. But I haven't seen a photo or a research/study of a particular snake that interested me most: a snake with head at both ends. I haven't seen a real one but lots of my friends from a place called Cordillera Region in the Philippines claimed to saw this rare snake. They say it travels by flying in circular motion. Its color varies from green to black. I did some searches in the internet and it says that such snake is called Amphisbaena, but it's a myth. Just wanted to know if there are already studies about this type of snake or scientists haven't discovered it yet. thanks!
 
What do you think?

[RD]

head at either end is mythical / mimicry / trickery ...

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=34462.0

[CliffordK]

Like many animals including people, snakes rarely develop two heads.



However, they do not have a head at each end of the body.  But, some snakes apparently have developed head and tail markings that similar to appear as if they have two heads, when in fact, only one is the real head.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2009/aug/06/venomous-snake-mimicry-head-tail


There are notes that earthworms can regenerate after damage, and may on occasion develop two heads as part of the regeneration, although I'm not seeing a lot of specifics on that concept.

[damocles]

Jay-c Lora  asked the Naked Scientists:
   Hi TNS

I have a question about snakes. I know there are 2-headed snakes (Polycephalic?) and there are lots of evidences about them that you could find specially in the internet. But I haven't seen a photo or a research/study of a particular snake that interested me most: a snake with head at both ends. I haven't seen a real one but lots of my friends from a place called Cordillera Region in the Philippines claimed to saw this rare snake. They say it travels by flying in circular motion. Its color varies from green to black. I did some searches in the internet and it says that such snake is called Amphisbaena, but it's a myth. Just wanted to know if there are already studies about this type of snake or scientists haven't discovered it yet. thanks!
 
What do you think?

Here in Australia we have a snake called the "hoop snake". In order to move more speedily than the normal legless slitherings of a snake, it takes the tip of its tail into its mouth and rolls itself along the desert at great speed like a bicycle wheel. I have not seen one of these, but lots of my friends claim to have (especially when gullible foreigners are around). I suspect it might be a close relative of your "pushmi pullyu" snake.
 []

[RD]

Here in Australia we have a snake called the "hoop snake".

The "wheel spider" is real ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozn31QBOHtk#t=1m

[Bored chemist]

Well, there's these worm lizards which are named after the fact that one end looks pretty much like the other
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphisbaenia
but only one end is really the head.

[damocles]

We also have the very real shingleback or stumpytail lizard

http://www.honoluluzoo.org/images/shingleback_skink.htm

http://www.ozanimals.com/Reptile/Shingleback/Tiliqua/rugosa.html

[widereader]

Have not heard of a snake with a head at both ends.  Probably this is from legends.

[Bored chemist]

Have not heard of a snake with a head at both ends.  Probably this is from legends.

Have you heard of my Aunt Beverly?
If not, could it be that this is not because she is a legend, but because your knowledge is limited?

[CliffordK]

Have not heard of a snake with a head at both ends.  Probably this is from legends.

Have you heard of my Aunt Beverly?
If not, could it be that this is not because she is a legend, but because your knowledge is limited?

Widereader,
Welcome to the forum. 
I'd encourage reading a good chunk of a topic before replying, although sometimes it can be cumbersome if it is quite long.  Then evaluating what your response adds to the topic, especially if it is an older topic.  Sometimes a little research helps too.

Legends occur for a couple of reasons.  The first being embellishing fact.  For example, seeing a snake mutation with two heads (on the same end).  The second being made up for emphasis of some point.  Medusa, with many snake heads.

Presumably conjoined twins could occur at any point in the organism.

Anyway, the most logical explanation is that the story was based on observations of organisms with head-like morphology and colorations on their tail.  Perhaps even moving the tail to mimic attentiveness.

[alancalverd]

The interesting thing about the snake with a head at each end is surely the arse in the middle.

[zitro]

Jay-c Lora  asked the Naked Scientists:
   Hi TNS

I have a question about snakes. I know there are 2-headed snakes (Polycephalic?) and there are lots of evidences about them that you could find specially in the internet. But I haven't seen a photo or a research/study of a particular snake that interested me most: a snake with head at both ends. I haven't seen a real one but lots of my friends from a place called Cordillera Region in the Philippines claimed to saw this rare snake. They say it travels by flying in circular motion. Its color varies from green to black. I did some searches in the internet and it says that such snake is called Amphisbaena, but it's a myth. Just wanted to know if there are already studies about this type of snake or scientists haven't discovered it yet. thanks!
 
What do you think?

Its Called balitok snake ,, flying in circular motion. With thick scale, is a dangerous snake,
Very venomous snake , a baliktok snake. have a signs some branch of tree have fresh dried leaves luminous body in night, Found in Philippines,  Zamboanga Del norte &  Bukidnon its rare,

[jimbobghost]

as I perused this old topic, please excuse me for providing an answer:

question: is there a snake with a head at both ends?
ans: yes.
question: but how can it sh1t?
ans: it can't...that's what makes it so mean!

[Reggy777]

Really scary

[set fair]

That would be one at the Rees end and one at the Mogg end.