Trailing Behavior in Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis)

Golan, Lisa; Radcliffe, Charles W.; Miller, Tracy J.; O'Connell, Barbara; Chiszar, David

doi:10.2307/1563720

Cited by 51 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…This finding may have theoretical importance because it suggests that SICS is a modal action pattern for C. viridis but not for C. pricei. Once a strike occurred in C. viridis, SICS rose to an asymptotic level and continued for at least 2 h whether or not rodent odors were present, implying that the intensity and duration of SICS did not depend on chemical feedback (Chiszar et al, 1985;Chiszar, Radcliffe, O'Connell, & Smith, 1982;Golan et al, 1982). For C. pricei, on the other hand, both the intensity and duration of SICS were enhanced by chemical cues arising from rodent-soiled bedding.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Strike-induced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes: A rodent specialist (Crotalus viridis) differs from a lizard specialist (Crotalus pricei)

Cruz

Gibson

Kandler

et al. 1987

Bull. Psychon. Soc.

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Prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) exhibited a sustained high rate of tongue flicking after a predatory strike whether or not rodent odors were present in the poststrike environment. For the lizard specialist, C. pricei, strike-induced chemosensory searching was maintained at a high level only when chemical cues were available following the strike.Rattlesnakes typically release adult rodents after envenomating them (Gans, 1966;Kardong, 1986; Radcliffe, Chiszar, & O'Connell, 1980), allowing the wounded prey to wander freely while the venom takes effect (Brock, 1980; Estep, Poole, Radcliffe, O'Connell, & Chiszar, 1981;Hayes & Galusha, 1984). The predators then locate the dead rodents by following their chemical trails (Dullemeijer, 1961; Duvall, Chiszar, Trupiano, & Radcliffe, 1978;Duvall, Scudder, & Chiszar, 1980; Golan, Radcliffe, Miller, O'Connell, & Chiszar, 1982;Reinert, Cundall, & Busher, 1984). Most rattlesnake species are rodent specialists (Klauber, 1956), but even those that feed heavily on lizards in nature (e.g., Crotalus lepidus, Crotalus pricez) accept rodent prey in captivity (Chiszar, Radcliffe, Byers, & Stoops, 1986). Moreover, C. lepidus and C. pricei handle rodents in much the same way that rodent-specializing species handle them (i.e., rodents are struck, released, and trailed) (Chiszar, Radcliffe, Byers, & Stoops, 1986; Chiszar, Radcliffe, & Feiler, 1986). Because these snakes usually hold lizards following the strike (personal observations), and no trail following occurs prior to swallowing them, it was surprising to observe accurate following of rodent trails by snakes that rarely perform such tasks in nature. However, Chiszar, Radcliffe, and Feiler (1986) reported a quantitative difference between behaviors of prairie rattlesnakes (c. viridis) and banded rock rattlesnakes (c. lepidus). When rodent trails are available following a predatory strike, both species flick their tongues at high rates and follow these trails; however, when no rodent trails are available, only the prairie rattlesnakes exhibit high rates of tongue flicking and extensive searching movements after a strike. The rock rattlesnakes do so for only a few minutes after the strike before returning to quiescence. In other words, strike-induced chemosensory searching (SICS) is a relatively automatic consequence of a successful predatory strike in the rodent specialist, but SICS requires vomeronasal feedback in order to be maintained in the lizard specialist.The present report compares poststrike behavior of C. viridis with that of another lizard specialist, the western twin spotted rattlesnake (c. pricez). Results indicate that C. pricei, like C. lepidus, exhibited a high level of SICS only when rodent odors were available. METHODSubjects were 4 C. viridis and 4 C. pricei, all captured as adults and maintained in the laboratory for 3 years prior to this experiment (see Golan et al., 1982, for details concerning cages, temperature. and ph0to-period). The snakes were fed only rodents (Mus musculus and neonatal Rattus ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Subjects were 4 C. viridis and 4 C. pricei, all captured as adults and maintained in the laboratory for 3 years prior to this experiment (see Golan et al, 1982, for details concerning cages, temperature. and ph0to-period).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strike-induced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes: A rodent specialist (Crotalus viridis) differs from a lizard specialist (Crotalus pricei)

Cruz

Gibson

Kandler

et al. 1987

Bull. Psychon. Soc.

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“…Within 3 to 8 min after the strike, the snake exhibits a high rate of tongue flicking and begins searching for the envenomed rodent (Clark, 2006;Golan, Radcliffe, Miller, O'Connell, & Chiszar, 1982;Kardong, 1986;Klauber, 1972).…”

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Effects of Deprivation of Vomeronasal Chemoreception on Prey Discrimination in Rattlesnakes

2011

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“…1977; Chiszar, Radcliffe, & Smith, 1978) and facilitates the identification and following of trails left by envenomated prey (Dullemeijer, 1961;Golan, Radcliffe, Miller, O'Connell, & Chiszar, 1982).…”

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A Noninvasive Technique for Blocking Vomeronasal Chemoreception in Rattlesnakes

2006

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To examine the effects of vomeronasal dElprivation on strikeinduced chemosensory searching (SICS) in rattlesnakes we used a newly developed technique to anesthetize the vomeronasal organs. We compared rate of tongue flicking after striking prey in avom ic rattlesnakes to vomic controls. Avomic rattlesnakes exhibited significantly fewer tongue flicks after striking prey than did vomic controls . However, avomic subjects still exhibited a significantly higher rate of tongue flicking (RTF) than did subjects that were presented with prey but not allowed to strike indicating that the increase in RTF seen in avomic snakes reflects a component of predatory behavior that is released by the strike and not dependent upon further vomeronasal activation. A second experiment was conducted to examine the role of the vomeronasal system (VNS) in location of envenomed prey. Disruption of the VNS chemoreception sign ificantly reduced the number of poststrike tongue flicks, significantly increased the latency to locate the prey item and significantly increased the latency to commence swallowing the prey item, indicating that normal expression of these behaviors is dependent upon a functioning vomeronasal system. Rattlesnakes (e.g. , prairie rattlesnakes, Crotalus viridis viridis) that feed on rodent prey typically release prey immediately following a successful predatory strike, allowing the rodent to flee from the site of envenomation (Estep,

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Trailing Behavior in Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis)

Cited by 51 publications

References 13 publications

Strike-induced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes: A rodent specialist (Crotalus viridis) differs from a lizard specialist (Crotalus pricei)

Strike-induced chemosensory searching in rattlesnakes: A rodent specialist (Crotalus viridis) differs from a lizard specialist (Crotalus pricei)

Effects of Deprivation of Vomeronasal Chemoreception on Prey Discrimination in Rattlesnakes

A Noninvasive Technique for Blocking Vomeronasal Chemoreception in Rattlesnakes

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