In
scaled reptiles, the ocular scales are those forming the margin of the eye.
[Wright AH, Wright AA. 1957. ''Handbook of Snakes''. Comstock Publishing Associates (7th printing, 1985). 1105 pp. .] The name originates from the term ''oculus'' which is Latin for 'eye' and, in the broadest sense, refers to a scale associated with the eye. The numbers of these scales present, and sometimes the shapes and sizes, are some of many characteristics used to differentiate species from one another.
Prefixes are usually included to indicate the positions or locations of the individual scales:
[Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. .][Smith MA. 1943. ''The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma including the whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region, Reptilia and Amphibia Vol III-Serpentes''. Taylor and Francis, London. page 29.]
* Preocular scales, or preoculars, are those lying directly in front of and in contact with the eye.
* Postocular scales, or postoculars, are those lying directly behind and in contact with the eye.
*
Supraocular scales, or supraoculars, are enlarged scales on the crown immediately above the eye.
* Subocular scales, or suboculars, are those lying directly below and in contact with the eye.
Collectively these scales are referred to as circumorbital scales, circumorbitals, or a circumorbital ring.
Occasionally, the term ocular scale is used without a prefix, in which case it specifically refers to the
brille, also known as the spectacle
[Are snakes slimy?](_blank)
a
Singapore Zoological Garden's Docent
Accessed 14 August 2006. or eyecap.
/ref> This is a transparent scale that covers and protects the eye. It is formed in embryonic snakes when the transparent upper and lower eyelids fuse. Once hatched, a snake does not possess eyelids and the brille carries out some of these functions.
See also
* Brille
* Ocular (disambiguation)
* Reptile scales
Reptile skin is covered with scutes or scales which, along with many other characteristics, distinguish reptiles from animals of other classes. They are made of alpha and beta-keratin and are formed from the epidermis (contrary to fish, in which t ...
* Snake scales
Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joints ...
* Anatomical terms of location
Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...
References
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Snake scales