Snake Scale Microstructures Reveal Secrets of Sidewinding and Slithering
The mesmerizing flow of a sidewinder moving obliquely across desert sands has captivated biologists for centuries and has been variously studied over the years, but…
Snake News
Physics of Snakeskin Sheds Light on Specialized Sidewinding Locomotion of Sidewinder Snakes
Microscopic look reveals differences in the surfaces of snakes’ bellies. Most snakes get from A to B by bending their bodies into S-shapes and slithering…
“Lasso Climbing” – Scientists Discover Bizarre New Fifth Mode of Snake Locomotion
Researchers reporting in Current Biology on January 11, 2021, have discovered that invasive brown tree snakes living on Guam can get around in a way that…
Scientists Discover Bizarre New Mode of Snake Locomotion – “Nothing I’d Ever Seen Compares to It”
A team of researchers from Colorado State University and the University of Cincinnati have discovered a new mode of snake locomotion that allows the brown…
World’s Oldest Python Found in Messel Pit
Fossils suggest that the constrictors’ origin lies in Europe. Together with his colleague Hussam Zaher of the University in São Paulo, Senckenberg scientist Krister Smith…
Remarkable New Species of Snake Found Hidden in a Biodiversity Collection – Occupies Its Own Branch on Snake Tree of Life
Waray Dwarf Burrowing Snake occupies its own branch on snake tree of life. To be fair, the newly described Waray Dwarf Burrowing Snake (Levitonius mirus)…
Emerging Infectious Disease Afflicting Snakes in 19 States, Puerto Rico
In a collaborative effort between scientists and personnel on military bases in 31 states in the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico, researchers surveyed for an…
Evolutionary Origin of Skin Colors Revealed by Genetic Mutation in Snakes
A mutation of the lavender variant of corn snake allows a UNIGE team to understand the mechanisms responsible for the extraordinary variety of skin colors…
Mystery of How Flying Snakes Move Solved by 3D Modeling and Motion Capture
Interdisciplinary team finds the motion enhances Chrysopelea paradisi’s rotational stability. The snakes which comprise the Chrysopelea family are the only known limbless vertebrates capable of…
Sea Snakes Have Been Modifying Genetically to See Underwater for 15 Million Years
Sea snakes first entered the marine environment 15 million years ago and have been evolving ever since to survive in its changing light conditions, according…
Masterful Illusionist: The European Viper Uses Cloak-and-Dazzle to Escape Predators
Research of the University of Jyväskylä demonstrates that the characteristic zig-zag pattern on a viper’s back performs seemingly opposing functions during a predation event. At…
Cats Have More Lives Than Dogs When It Comes to Venomous Snake Bites – Here’s Why
Cats are twice as likely to survive a venomous snake bite than dogs, and the reasons behind this strange phenomenon have been revealed by University…
Testing the Patience of Predators and Prey – Snakes and Frogs Appear to Anticipate Each Other
“Like a frog stared down by a snake,” goes an old Japanese expression, describing an animal petrified with fear. However, it now seems that this…
New Green Pit Viper From India Named After Salazar Slytherin From Harry Potter
A new green pit viper species of the genus Trimeresurus was discovered during the herpetological expedition to Arunachal Pradesh in India, part of the Himalayan…
Action Needed on Dangerous Pet Snakes, Demands Animal Welfare Experts
Animal Welfare Experts Demand: Tighten Up Law on Keeping Dangerous Snakes as Pets The law on keeping dangerous snakes as pets should be tightened up,…
Likely Extinction of Snake Due to Warming Mountaintops
Climate change is a key factor contributing to the likely extinction of the Greek Meadow Viper, a new study has found. Researchers, working on behalf…
Toxin From Rattlesnake Venom Formulated to Treat Chronic Pain
Researchers Butantan Institute succeeded in reducing the toxicity and potentiating the analgesic effect of crotoxin by encapsulating it in nanostructured silica — the results of…
“Snake Pneumonia” – Coronavirus Outbreak in China Traced to Snakes by Genetic Analysis
Emerging viral infections — from bird flu to Ebola to Zika infections — pose major threats to global public health, and understanding their origins can…
