Why snake crawls in zig-zag way ..

Brief：
Answers: Stealth, speed and species detirmine how a snake ambulates. Large, heavly bodied snakes tend to use the rectilinear motion while others, usua.. 

Answers:

Stealth, speed and species detirmine how a snake ambulates.

Large, heavly bodied snakes tend to use the rectilinear motion while others, usually light bodied snakes use the serpetine motion. All snakes use the serpetine to swim, regardless of species/ body type.

Sidewinders "throw" portions of their bodies to the next "step" so that the body has minimal contact with hot surfaces.

The reason serpentine snakes make long swaths as they crawl is to maximize traction on loose/slick surfaces.

Observe a snake on cement and the put that same snake on vinyl flooring. You will see it senses the lack of tractionary devices and will make long swaths, conversly, when moved from the flooring to cement, the swath becomes a shorter one. a snake needs to create traction in order to move, so it has to angle itself. It's only other option would be to lift itself off the ground in sections, like a worm does. Well its more difficult for a predator to grab hold and if they live in a desert climate the zigzag pattern helps them to glide over the hot sand and not all the body touches the sand at the same time It just could not crawl straight.

If the snake could it would, you are right it would have to crawl less distance. A snake lacks a spine and legs (for a foothold). So, it ends up pushing itself forward by moving in a zig-zag fashion and moving its body forward. THAT IS HOW SNAKES MOVE ACROSS THE GROUND. different snakes move in different ways. It also depends on how fast they are trying to go, the terrain they are on etc. They can move in a straight line, it's called rectilinear movement, while the typical serpentine style is called concertina. All snakes move in different ways. The only nake that moves that way is the side-wineder and they all live in the desert. no