Serpentes is the scientific name of the snake suborder containing all living snakes.
Snakes are elongated, limbless reptiles classified within the order Squamata, alongside lizards. Serpentes is the taxonomic group used for snakes as a whole, although some classifications use the alternative name Ophidia for a broader or differently defined grouping.
Modern snakes include more than 3,000 described species. They range from tiny burrowing species to giant constrictors and occupy deserts, forests, grasslands, freshwater habitats and oceans. Their shared traits include elongated bodies, highly flexible skulls and the absence of external limbs.
A common mix-up is treating “snake” as an order. It is generally described as a suborder within Squamata, while lizards form several related lineages. Taxonomy changes as genetic and fossil evidence improves, so the boundaries of some snake groups remain debated.