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The predatory behavior of rattlesnakes includes many distinctive
preparatory phases leading to an extremely rapid strike, during
which the head is accelerated toward the prey. Fangs, folded
during rest, are moved to an anterior position in the mouth as
the maxillae on which they ride are erected. Contact is made
(frame 2) and jaws close (frame 3) injecting venom into the most
vulnerable site in the rodent, the thoracic cavity holding the
highly vascular lungs. From here, injected venom is carried
rapidly to the body of the rodent quickly killing it and
preventing its escape after release (frame 4). Forces generated
during acceleration of the head are transferred to posterior
body sections to decelerate the head before contact, thereby
reducing impact forces upon the snake’s jaws. Recruitment of
body segments, launch postures, and kinematic features of the
strike may be quite varied from strike to strike, suggesting a
complicated neurosensory and motor control. The quick release of
the prey during which the rattlesnake throws its head clear of
the prey, removes the head from retaliation by the rodent via
its sharp incisor teeth. This means that the strike must be
accurate and that recovery of the prey over complicated terrain
with complex confounding odors must be part of the rattlesnake’s
sensory ability.
See: Kardong, K.
V. and V. L. Bels. 1998. Rattlesnake strike behavior:
kinematics. Journal of Experimental Biology 201: 837-850.
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