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Has snake fang evolution lost its bite? New insights from a structural mechanics viewpoint
Chris Broeckhoven1, Anton du Plessis2
1Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Biology Letters
|August 4, 2017
Summary
Snake fangs, whether grooved or tubular, show similar stress distribution despite length differences. This suggests striking behavior, not structural compensation, drives fang evolution in venomous snakes.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Biomechanics
- Herpetology
Background:
- Venomous snakes possess diverse fang phenotypes, from grooved to tubular.
- The evolutionary pressures driving fang diversification remain debated.
- Tubular fangs may incur higher stress upon impact than grooved fangs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that larger, anteriorly positioned fangs compensate for increased stress in tubular fang phenotypes.
- To investigate the biomechanical differences between grooved and tubular snake fangs.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution micro-computed tomography (µCT) scans of snake fangs.
- Voxel-based stress simulations to analyze stress distribution.
- Phylogenetic analysis to contextualize biomechanical findings.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in stress distribution were found between grooved and tubular fang phenotypes.
- Stress levels were comparable across fang types despite variations in relative fang length.
- The study did not support the hypothesis of structural compensation for stress in larger fangs.
Conclusions:
- Biomechanical optimization of snake fangs likely involves mechanisms beyond structural compensation for stress.
- Fang length may be influenced by differential striking behaviors rather than solely by structural costs.
- Further research into snake striking strategies is warranted to understand fang evolution.
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