Abstract
Rattlesnakes and many other viperids typically strike and release adult rodent prey (Gans, 1966; O’Connell et al., 1982; Radcliffe et al., 1980), allowing the envenomated rodent to wander up to 600 cm before succumbing to the venom (Estep et al., 1981). The snakes then follow the chemical trail left by the envenomated prey. Although this predatory strategy risks losing the prey, it avoids tissue damage that could result from rodent teeth and claws if the snake attempted to hold the struggling prey after the strike. Even some of the deadliest elapids exhibit this strategy when they prey upon rodents (Chiszar et al., under review; Radcliffe et al., 1982; Shine & Covacevich, 1982), indicating that rodents are formidable prey and that the strike-release-trail system probably appeared very early in the evolution of venomous snakes (see Marx & Rabb, 1965, for a discussion of viperid evolution).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Barlow, G. W., 1977, Modal action patterns, in: “How Animals Communicate,” J. Sebeok, ed., Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana, 98–134.
Baumann, F., 1927, Experimente über den Geruchssinn der Viper, Rev. Suisse Zool., 34: 173–184.
Baumann, F., 1928, Über den Nahrungserwerb der Viper, Rev. Suisse Zool., 35: 233–239.
Baumann, F., 1929, Experimente über den Geruchssinn und den Beuteerwerb der Viper (Vipera aspis L.), Zeitschr. vergl. Physiol., 10: 36–119.
Bogert, C. M., 1943, Dentitional phenomena in cobras and other elapids with notes on adaptive modifications of fangs, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 81: 285–360.
Brock, O. G., 1980, Predatory behavior of eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus): Field enclosure and Y-maze laboratory studies emphasizing prey trailing behavior. Ph.D. dissertation, Florida State University.
Brown, J. H., 1973, “Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes,” C. C. Thomas Publ., Springfield, Illinois.
Burghardt, G. M., 1970, Chemical perception in reptiles, in: “Communication by Chemical Signals,” J. W. Johnston, Jr., D. G. Moulton, and A. Turk, eds., Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 241–308.
Chiszar, D., Duvall, D., Scudder, K., and Radcliffe, C. W., 1980, Simultaneous and successive discriminations between envenomated and nonenvenomated mice by rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus and C. viridis), Behay. Neural Biol., 29: 518–521.
Chiszar, D. and Radcliffe, C. W., 1977, Absence of prey-chemical preferences in newborn rattlesnakes (Crotalus cerastes, C. enyo, and C. viridis), Behay. Biol., 21: 146–150.
Chiszar, D., Radcliffe, C. W., O’Connell, B., and Smith, H. M., 1980, Strike-induced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes (Crotalus enyo) as a function of disturbance prior to presentation of prey. Trans. Kan. Acad., Sci., 83: 230–234.
Chiszar, D., Radcliffe, C. W., O’Connell, B., and Smith, H. M., 1981, Strike-induced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) as a function of disturbance prior to presentation of rodent prey, Psychol. Rec., 31: 57–62.
Chiszar, D., Radcliffe, C. W., O’Connell, B., and Smith, H. M., 1982, Analysis of the behavioral sequence emitted by rattlesnakes during feeding episodes II. Duration of strike-induced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis C. enyo), Behay. Neural Biol. in press.
Chiszar, D., Radcliffe, C. W., and Scudder, K. M., 1977, Analysis of the behavioral sequence emitted by rattlesnakes during feeding episodes I. Striking and chemosensory searching. Behay. Biol., 21: 418–425.
Chiszar, D., Radcliffe, C. W., and Smith, H. M., 1978, Chemosensory searching for wounded prey by rattlesnakes is released by striking: A replication report, Herpetol. Rev., 9: 54–56.
Chiszar, D., Radcliffe, C. W., Smith, H. M., and Bashinski, H., 1981, Effect of prolonged food deprivation in response to prey odors by rattlesnakes, Herpetologica, 37: 237–243.
Chiszar, D. and Scudder, K. M., 1980, Chemosensory searching by rattlesnakes during predatory episodes, in: “Chemical Signals: Vertebrates and Aquatic Invertebrates,” D. Müller-Schwarze and R. M. Silverstein, eds., Plenum Press, New York, 125–139.
Chiszar, D., Scudder, K. M., and Knight, L., 1976, Rate of tongue flicking by garter snakes (Thamnophis radix haydeni) and rattlesnakes (Crotalus v. viridis, Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus, and S. c. edwardsi) during prolonged exposure to food odors, Behay. Biol., 18: 273–283.
Chiszar, D., Simonsen, L., Radcliffe, C. W., and Smith, H. M., 1979, Rate of tongue flicking by cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) during prolonged exposure to various food odors, and strike-induced chemosensory searching by the cantil (Agkistrodon bilineatus). Trans. Kan. Acad. Sci., 82: 49–54.
Chiszar, D., Stimac, K., Poole, T., Miller, T., Radcliffe, C. W., and Smith, H. M., under review, Strike-induced chemosensory searching in cobras (Naja naja kaouthia N. mossambica pallida).
Chiszar, D., Taylor, S. V., Radcliffe, C. W., Smith, H. M., and O’Connell, B., 1981, Effects of chemical and visual stimuli upon chemosensory searching by garter snakes and rattlesnakes, J. Herpetol., 15: 415–424.
Cope, E. D., 1896, The classification of the Ophidia, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc., 18: 186–219.
Cowles, R. B. and Phelan, R. L., 1958, Olfaction in rattlesnakes, Copeia, 1958: 77–83.
Dowling, H. G., 1959, Classification of the Serpentes: A critical review, Copeia, 1959: 38–52.
Dullemeijer, P., 1961, Some remarks on the feeding behavior of rattlesnakes, Kon. Ned. Acad. Wetenschap. Series C, 64: 383–396.
Duvall, D., Chiszar, D., Trupiano, J., and Radcliffe, C. W., 1978, Preference for envenomated rodent prey by rattlesnakes, Bull. Psychon. Sci., 11: 7–8.
Duvall, D., Scudder, K. M., and Chiszar, D., 1980, Rattlesnake predatory behavior: Mediation of prey discrimination, and release of swallowing by odors associated with envenomated mice, Anim. Behay., 28: 674–683.
Estep, K., Poole, T., Radcliffe, C. W., O’Connell, B., and Chiszar, D., 1981, Distance traveled by mice after envenomation by a rattlesnake (C. viridis), Bull. Psychon. Soc., 18: 108–110.
Gans, C., 1966, The biting behavior of solenoglyph snakes–Its bearing on the pattern of envenomation, Proc. Internat. Symp. Venom. Anim., Sao Paulo, Brazil, Instituto Butantan.
Golan, L., Radcliffe, C. W., Miller, T., O’Connell, B., and Chiszar, D., 1982, Prey trailing by the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis), J. Herpetol. in press.
Gillingham, J. C. and Baker, R. R., 1981, Evidence for scavenging behavior in the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Zeit. Tierpsychol.
Gillingham, J. C. and Clark, D. L., 1981, An analysis of prey searching behavior in the western diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox, Behay. Neural Biol., 32: 235–240.
Johnson, R. C., 1956, The origin and evolution of the venomous snakes, Evolution, 10: 56–65.
Klauber, L. M., 1956, “Rattlesnakes - Their Habits, Life Histories, and Influence on Mankind,” Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley, Cal.
Kubie, J. L., 1977, The role of the vomeronasal organ in garter snake prey trailing and courtship, unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, School of Graduate Studies, Downstate Medical Center, New York.
Marx, H. and Rabb, G. B., 1965, Relationships and zoogeography of the viperine snakes (family Viperidae), Fieldiana Zool., 44: 161–206.
Meredith, M., 1980, The vomeronasal organ and accessory olfactory systems in the hamster, in: “Chemical Signals: Vertebrates and Aquatic Invertebrates,” D. Milller-Schwarze and R. M. Silverstein, eds., Plenum Press, New York, 303–326.
Meredith, M. and Burghardt, G. M., 1978, Electrophysiological studies of the tongue and accessory olfactory bulb in garter snakes, Physiol. Behay., 21: 1001–1008.
Minton, S. A., 1974, “Venom Diseases,” C. C. Thomas Publ., Springfield, Ill.
Naulleau, G., 1964, Premiéres observations sur le comportement de chasse et de capture chez les vipêres et les couleuvres, La Terre et la Vie, 1: 54–76.
Naulleau, G., 1965, La biologie et le comportement predateur de Vipera aspis au laboratoire et dans la nature, (thése), Bull. Biol. France Belgique, 99: 395–524.
Naulleau, G., 1966, La biologie et le comportement predateur de Vipera aspis au laboratoire et dans la nature, thése, Paris, P. Fanlac.
Naulleau, G., 1967, Le comportement de predation chez Vipera aspis, Rev. Comp. Animal, 2: 41–96.
O’Connell, B., Chiszar, D., and Smith, H. M., 1981, Effect of poststrike disturbance on strike-induced chemosensory searching in the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis), Behay. Neural Biol., 32: 343–349.
O’Connell, B., Chiszar, D, and Smith, H. M., 1982, Single vs. multiple predatory strikes by prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis), Bull. Md. Herp. Soc., in press.
Radcliffe, C. W., Chiszar, D., and O’Connell, B., 1980, Effects of prey size on poststrike behavior in rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus, C. enyo, and C. viridis), Bull. Psychon. Soc., 16: 449–450.
Radcliffe, C. W., Stimac, K., Smith, H. M., and Chiszar, D., 1982, Effects of prey size on poststrike behavior of juvenile red spitting cobras (Naja mossambica pallida) Trans. Kan. Acad. Sci., in press.
Scudder, K. M., 1982, Mechanisms mediating the sequential aspects of predatory episodes in Crotalid snakes, Ph.D. dissertation, University of Colorado, Boulder.
Scudder, K. M., Chiszar, D., and Smith, H. M., The effect of environmental odors on strike-induced chemosensory searching by rattlesnakes, under review.
Scudder, K. M., Poole, T., O’Connell, B., and Chiszar, D., in preparation, Ontogeny of strike-induced chemosensory searching and trailing behavior in neonatal rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus and C. viridis).
Shine, R. and Covacevich, J., 1982, Ecology of the highly venomous snakes: The Australian genus Oxyuranus (Elapidae), J. Herpetol. in press.
Stimac, K., Radcliffe, C. W., and Chiszar, D., 1982, Prey recognition learning by red spitting cobras, Naja mossambica pallida, Bull. Psychon. Soc., in press.
Weiner, B. J., 1971, “Statistical Principles - Experimental Design,” McGraw-Hill, New York.
Wiedemann, E., 1932, Zur Biologie der Nahrungsaufnahme der Kreuzotter, Vipera berus L., Zool. Anz., 97: 278–286.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1983 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Chiszar, D., Radcliffe, C.W., Scudder, K.M., Duvall, D. (1983). Strike-Induced Chemosensory Searching by Rattlesnakes: The Role of Envenomation-Related Chemical Cues in the Post-Strike Environment. In: Müller-Schwarze, D., Silverstein, R.M. (eds) Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 3. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9652-0_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9652-0_1
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9654-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9652-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive