Another shot of the world's only semi-aquatic viper, the cottonmouth, or water moccasin, in De Soto National Forest, Mississippi. Defensively, they will open their mouth like this and the bright white color is meant to be a recognizable warning to predators, and is how they get their name. Inside the mouth, there's 2 wide lobes on the outside edges, and those are hiding the folded fangs. At the very top of the mouth here, you can see a little hole with 2 channels. That leads to the Jacobson's organ (vomeronasal organ). The forked tongue gathered particles in the air and then delivers them to this organ (which is why there's two little channels) which interprets the information. Below this is a much wider opening, which leads to the nostrils. On the bottom jaw you can make out rows of little rear-facing teeth, which help work the prey further into the mouth when feeding. It's an unusual perspective, but I wanted it to feel like you were in world of the snake, on the same level. I had this snake by the tail and tried to bring it out and get a good look, but it was having none of it.