Businesses Classifieds Forums Photos Chat News Video Podcast Features Events Clubs Bookstore
Reptile & Amphibians Insects Birds Cats Dogs Exotics Horses Aquaria Ponds PetHobbyist PetPress PetSupport RescueNetwork My Account
facebook - twitter - jeffb's facebook	racing - field outfitter - reptile laws - kingsnake shirts - club.kingsnake - advertising rates - site news - help - contact

Looking for a pet? Try a rescue first! Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Columbia Fed. St. of Micronesia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota N. Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Alberta British Columbia Labrador Manitoba Newfoundland New Brunswick Nova Scotia Nunavut Northwest Territories Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territories Other click here to add your rescue

This week only- Get 5% OFF your Entire LLLReptile.com Order- Coupon Code "5LL" Medium Rats $.99, XL Rats $.99, XXL Rats $.99 at RODENTPRO.COM

Posted by PatrickV on April 27, 2002 at 03:07:06:

In Reply to: evolution of the rattle posted by east coast dave on April 23, 2002 at 23:03:18:

Is why agkistrodon has similar physiology of the tail musculature and vascularization but other species of snake which rattle the tail as a warning do not (ie: elaphe, lampropeltus) i will look for the references later but i did a research project on rattle evolution. lots of things are odd.

agkistrodon has a much higher rate of oxygen consumption in the tail muscles than do colubrids but less so than rattlesnakes (they seem to be the intermediate). some evidence has pointed towards birds or other active predators with acute hearing being the selection force behind the rattle. think about....if a pigmy rattlesnake rattled at a bison, would it even hear it or care? many birds have a much more sensitive hearing in high frequencies. food for thought. i havent read all the other replies so i'm sorry if i am repetitive at the moment. if anyone cares for the papers on tailshaker muscle physiology or other things email me and i will take the time to scrounge them up.

patrickv

Follow Ups:

• hmmm ecd 04/27/02 (0)

Post a Followup