What are the caudal scales?

[ProXimuS]

Or should I say where are they located on a snake? I was reading on somewhere that was talking about identifying snakes by their sheds(this was just pertaining to the snakes of New Mexico apperantly). It says "The key is in the caudal scales, posterior to the cloaca (anal vent). Split
caudals indicate a nonvenomous species in New Mexico. Solid caudals, especially
on a big shed, mean rattlesnake. There is one exception to this rule here.
Garter snakes have solid caudal scales as well."

On first guess I was assuming it meant the tail scales, like the ones below the vent, beacause the scales change after the vent and seem "split" in a sense. But, if garters have solid caudals then I have to be wrong. So what are they?!:confused:

[guidofatherof5]

Do you subcaudal scales? They are the scales of the tail.

Ventral scales - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventral_scales)

[ProXimuS]

Hmm...Perhaps...But if it meant subcaudal then that means they were wrong....Right? It's not like it was necessarily some fancy scientific webiste.
nmherps: April 2007 (http://nmherps.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html)
^ That's it. If you scroll down to where the guy is holding the big sheds, below it is where it is talking about the "caudal" scales. I just happened to come acorss the site because I googled "coachwhip."

[Stefan-A]

Caudal refers to the tail.

eg.
Subcaudal: underneath the tail.
Caudal luring: Using the tail to lure prey.
caudatus(part of scientific name): (long-)tailed
brevicauda (part of scientific name): short-tailed

[guidofatherof5]

Caudal refers to the tail.

eg.
Subcaudal: underneath the tail.
Caudal luring: Using the tail to lure prey.
caudatus(part of scientific name): (long-)tailed
brevicauda (part of scientific name): short-tailed

Thanks.

[ProXimuS]

Yea thanks Stefan. That's what I was thinking....So I guess that place was wrong...