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Posted by Jaffo on April 25, 2002 at 15:34:21:
In Reply to: Good thoughts Kenny..... posted by Rich G. on April 25, 2002 at 09:38:34:
I am loving this discussion! For the sake of further discussion, allow me to point out that it would seem inappropriate for rattlesnakes to have evolved rattles as a success of diversion with the observation that rattlers very often coil with their rattle positioned in the center of their coil, defeating diversionary tactic alltogether. This behavior would support the idea that rattles evolved as a means of alert to prevent being trampled, but then again, the same behavior would also invite attack, as it also give away posistion.
I tend to agree with the speculation that re=attles evolved in certain lineages based on success as a noise-maker, plain and simple, just as so many other snake species vibrate their tails in obvious defensive behavior. Maybe rattlesnakes have just been around long enough to become more evolutionarily advanced. Also note the idea of mimicry. If there are indeed rattler or coral snake mimics, then rattlesnakes and coral snakes eveolved in their current form long before non-venomous counterparts evolved features and behaviors that resembled them. This indirectly would suggest that venom is an advanced evolutionary feature as well, suggesting that most venomous snakes have been around a lot longer than many non-venomous snakes,long enough to become more suitably evolved with more complexities in their behavior and anatomy.
This of course suggests that if so many non-venomous species of snake possess the instinctive behavior of vibrating their tails in defense, as a noise maker, we can speculate that rattlesnakes have simply evolved to a more advanced level of that, noting the fact that they also have such evolutionarily advanced features as a venom delivery apparatus, and heat-sensitive pits.
So is this fore shadowing of whats to come from some non-vens?
Jaffo
