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Debunking the viper's strike: harmless snakes kill a common assumption.
David A Penning1, Baxter Sawvel2, Brad R Moon2
1Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 70504, USA davidapenning@gmail.com.
Biology Letters
|March 17, 2016
Summary
Snake strikes are surprisingly fast, with harmless ratsnakes matching or exceeding the speed of venomous vipers. This rapid strike performance is faster than prey can react, aiding survival for both venomous and non-venomous snakes.
Area of Science:
- Zoology
- Biomechanics
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Organisms require effective sensory systems to distinguish predators from prey for survival.
- Snake strikes serve dual purposes: predation and defense, necessitating rapid strike performance.
- Vipers are traditionally considered the fastest striking snakes, though data is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure and compare the defensive strike performance of harmless Texas ratsnakes against two viper species.
- To challenge the long-held belief that vipers possess the fastest snake strikes.
- To investigate the biomechanical consequences of high-acceleration snake strikes.
Main Methods:
- High-speed video recordings were used to capture defensive strikes.
- Strike performance was measured in Texas ratsnakes (harmless), western cottonmouths (vipers), and western diamond-backed rattlesnakes (vipers).
- Strike accelerations were analyzed and compared across species.
Main Results:
- Texas ratsnakes' strike performance matched or exceeded that of the vipers studied.
- Vipers do not represent the pinnacle of snake strike performance, contrary to previous literature.
- Snake strikes exhibit accelerations exceeding those causing loss of consciousness in other animals.
- Strike speeds are faster than mammalian sensory-motor response times, allowing snakes to reach targets before prey can react.
Conclusions:
- Harmless snakes can achieve strike speeds comparable to or greater than venomous vipers.
- Rapid strike acceleration is a key survival mechanism for both venomous and harmless snakes.
- Snake strike speed surpasses the reaction capabilities of many prey animals.
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