Somewhere a Herpetologist Is Crying: Difference between revisions

* Referring to any reptile as "poisonous"; something which will also cause [[Grammar Nazi]]s to cry. The proper term is "venomous". There are very few poisonous reptiles anywhere in the world, although there are plenty of poisonous amphibians. Poison causes harm when consumed; whereas venom is a modified digestive enzyme that must be injected to be effective. Some types of venom can even be safely consumed.

* Portraying reptiles and amphibians as one and the same, or have the two terms as interchangeable. In reality, reptiles and amphibians are only related superficially, considering that the two lineages separated over 300 million years ago. The closest living relatives to reptiles today are the birds: living descendants of dinosaurs, and therefore part of the reptile group themselves.

 

Of course, reality is often ignored due to [[Rule of Funny]], [[Rule of Cool]], etc.

 

== Literature ==

** For that matter, he's talking to a snake, despite the fact snakes can't hear very well. Riddle also says in the ''Chamber of Secrets'' movie about the Basilisk being able to hear Harry, though [[Science Marches On]] with the hearing (it's now known that snakes ''can'' hear, though not in the same way we do) and the Basilisk is a fictional species. In this case, [[A Wizard Did It]].

** And then there's how the voice in the pipes kept ranting about "blood" and about ripping/tearing its prey. If the basilisk were anything like a real snake, it ought to swallow its prey ''whole'', with little or no blood shed, especially if it kills its food with its deadly gaze.

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