WASHINGTON - A new research has claimed that in a deadly game of heads or tails, venomous sea snakes in the Pacific and Indian Oceans deceive their predators into believing they have two heads, when in fact, their second head is actually their tail.
The discovery, made by Dr Arne Redsted Rasmussen and Dr Johan Elmberg, showed that Yellow-lipped Sea Kraits use skin markings and behaviour patterns to fool predators into thinking their tail is a second head, complete with lethal venom.
There are over 65 species of sea snakes in the tropical waters of the Southern Hemisphere, ranging from Africa to the Gulf of Panama.
All sea snakes have extremely potent venom, which is among the most toxic known in all snake species.
When hunting for food, sea snakes probe crevices and coral formations, temporarily forcing them to drop their guard to threats from the surrounding waters and making them highly vulnerable to attack.
However, the Yellow-lipped Sea Krait has been found to twist its tail so that the tip corresponds with the dorsal view of the head, which combined with deceptive colouring, gives the illusion of having two heads and two loads of deadly venom.
The discovery was made while senior author Arne Redsted Rasmussen was diving off the coast of the Bunaken Island in Indonesia.
A large Krait was followed for thirty minutes, swimming between corals and crevices hunting for food.
Rasmussen was momentarily distracted by a second snake, but when looking back he was surprised to see the “head” was facing him while the tail probed the coral.
Rasmussen’s surprise grew when he saw a second head emerge from the coral instead of the expected tail. It was only when the snake swam away that the first head was clearly seen to be a paddling tail.
To build upon this discovery researchers examined 98 Sea Kraits from three major museum collections in Paris, Berlin and Copenhagen.
The research confirmed that all snakes of this species had a distinctive colouration pattern, with a bright yellow horseshoe marking on the tip of the head and the tail.
The yellow was deeper than the colours on the rest of the body and the black colorations were much longer than the dark bands on the rest of the body, highlighting the similarity between the head and the tail.
The reason for this mixture of behaviour and coloration results from a developed defence strategy needed when the snake is probing for prey. (ANI)
Filed under News, Snake | Tags: Fact, Washington | Comment Below
Related?
Venomous vipers shape lizards' tail-shedding abilitiesMarch 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists have suggested that the lizards' tail-shedding ability has been shaped mainly because of pressure from venomous vipers, which are the number one enemy of the wall-crawling reptiles. Tail-shedding, known to scientists as caudal autotomy, is a common anti-predator defense among lizards.
Water snakes startle fish to make them flee into their jawsJune 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A tentacled snake from South East Asia has developed a unique line of attack to catch its prey-it startles a fish in a way that the prey turns toward the snake's head to flee instead of turning away. In fact, the fish's reaction is so predictable that the snake, instead of tracking its movement, actually aims its strike at the position where the fish's head will be.
Tail-ing lizards can be frustrating experience for predatorsFebruary 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Ever tried cornering a lizard, you'll know they can easily give you the slip by detaching their tails and scampering to safety. Gary Gillis from Mount Holyoke College, said up to half of some lizard populations seem to have traded some part of their tails in exchange for escape.
Scientists discover first protein-based amphibian toxin in Chinese tree frogAugust 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists in China have discovered the first protein-based toxin in an amphibian -a 60 amino acid neurotoxin found in the skin of a Chinese tree frog, which may help shed more light into both the evolution of amphibians and the evolution of poison. While gene-encoded protein toxins have been identified in many vertebrate animals, including fish, reptiles and mammals, none have yet been found in amphibians or birds.
Snakes can slither on flat surfaces using frictionJune 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists have found that snakes use both friction generated by their scales and redistribution of their weight to slither along flat surfaces. The findings, by researchers at New York University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, run counter to previous studies that have shown snakes move by pushing laterally against rocks and branches.
Biologist says he has found rare giant garter snakes in California wetlandsAugust 4th, 2009 Biologist finds rare garter snakes in CaliforniaSTOCKTON, Calif. — A Northern California biologist says he has found a population of giant garter snakes, a federally threatened species that many thought had vanished.
Snakes believed to be reincarnation of humansMarch 26th, 2009 GAYA - A woman conducted religious rites for the salvation of her sons' souls in the presence of two snakes at Gaya in Bihar. This was after she dreamt that her departed sons were reborn in her neighbours' house as snakes!
Devaki and her neighbour Suresh Singh offered 'Pindadaan' for a male and female snake on the banks of River Falgu in Gaya.
Snakes are the ultimate massagers!July 11th, 2009 MELBOURNE - For those seeking the ultimate in therapeutic body massages, a new form of massage has come up, which involves a nest of writhing snakes. Ada Barak's Carnivorous Plant Farm, located on a moshav about an hour's drive north of Tel Aviv, provides the ophidian rubdown.
