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Infrared-sensing snakes select ambush orientation based on thermal backgrounds
Hannes A Schraft1,2, George S Bakken3, Rulon W Clark3
1Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA. haschraft@ucdavis.edu.
Scientific Reports
|March 10, 2019
Summary
Rattlesnakes, using infrared senses, do not orient towards prey with the highest temperature contrast. Instead, they prefer ambush sites with strong thermal transitions, aiding prey detection.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Sensory ecology
- Thermoreception
Background:
- Animals perceive environmental cues differently than humans.
- Rattlesnakes utilize infrared radiation for prey detection in low-light conditions.
- Technological advancements enable the study of animal sensory worlds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how prey-background temperature contrast and thermal transitions influence rattlesnake orientation at ambush sites.
- To understand the role of thermal cues in rattlesnake predatory behavior.
Main Methods:
- Tracking free-ranging sidewinder rattlesnakes (Crotalus cerastes) to their chosen ambush locations.
- Recording 360° thermographic panoramas from the center of ambush sites.
- Utilizing computer simulations to analyze prey-background thermal contrast and transitions in all directions.
Main Results:
- Rattlesnakes did not orient towards directions with significantly higher prey-background temperature contrast.
- A strong tendency was observed for rattlesnakes to face directions with significant thermal transitions.
- Thermal transitions may provide a more effective cue for detecting prey movement.
Conclusions:
- Sensory perception, particularly thermal cues, significantly shapes animal behavior and ecology.
- Understanding animal sensory environments enhances comprehension of their evolutionary strategies.
- This study quantifies sensory environments to link perception to behavior in rattlesnakes.
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