Born knowing: tentacled snakes innately predict future prey behavior.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Aquatic tentacled snakes (Erpeton tentaculatus) can take advantage of their prey's escape response by startling fish with their body before striking. The feint usually startles fish toward the snake's approaching jaws. But when fish are oriented at a right angle to the jaws, the C-start escape response translates fish parallel to the snake's head. To exploit this latter response, snakes must predict the future location of the fish. Adult snakes can make this prediction. Is it learned, or are tentacled snakes born able to predict future fish behavior?

Methods and findings

Laboratory-born, naïve snakes were investigated as they struck at fish. Trials were recorded at 250 or 500 frames per second. To prevent learning, snakes were placed in a water container with a cl

SUBMITTER: Catania KC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2886828 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature