TY - JOUR
T1 - Ontogeny of striking, prey-handling and envenomation behavior of prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus v. viridis)
AU - Hayes, William K.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgements-The advice and suggestions of Dr DAVID Dtrv~u-were much appreciated . Dr Ivex I . IGtsErt provided generous access to equipment in his venom laboratory and his advice during various stages of venom measurement was invaluable. CoxxIIVe S~sNer assisted with development of the venom assay. Dr STEPHEN P . M~cICFSSV provided critical comments on an earlier manuscript . This study was supported by an NSF Doctoral Dissertation grant (BNS-8813271) and a matching University of Wyoming Graduate School research assistantship .
PY - 1991
Y1 - 1991
N2 - The ontogeny of striking, prey-handling and envenomation behavior was studied in the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis). Snakes of three size classes (small, medium, large) were allowed to strike and envenomate deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) of corresponding size. The mass of venom expended in a single strike, assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of whole-mouse homogenates, increased exponentially with length of the snake. Small snakes embedded their fangs in prey for a longer duration than larger snakes. Mice were always struck and released, regardless of snake or prey size. Latency to immobilization was similar for mice envenomated by medium and large snakes; small mice struck by small snakes were not mobile. Latency to death and death rate (latency to death divided by mass of mouse) were greater for mice envenomated by small snakes as compared to medium and large snakes. These findings further clarify the ontogenetic and functional relationships between venom, morphology, diet and behavior. They also illustrate how behavior may be modified to maximize envenomation and feeding success.
AB - The ontogeny of striking, prey-handling and envenomation behavior was studied in the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis). Snakes of three size classes (small, medium, large) were allowed to strike and envenomate deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) of corresponding size. The mass of venom expended in a single strike, assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of whole-mouse homogenates, increased exponentially with length of the snake. Small snakes embedded their fangs in prey for a longer duration than larger snakes. Mice were always struck and released, regardless of snake or prey size. Latency to immobilization was similar for mice envenomated by medium and large snakes; small mice struck by small snakes were not mobile. Latency to death and death rate (latency to death divided by mass of mouse) were greater for mice envenomated by small snakes as compared to medium and large snakes. These findings further clarify the ontogenetic and functional relationships between venom, morphology, diet and behavior. They also illustrate how behavior may be modified to maximize envenomation and feeding success.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0025769698
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0025769698#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.1016/0041-0101(91)90223-E
DO - 10.1016/0041-0101(91)90223-E
M3 - Article
C2 - 1926185
SN - 0041-0101
VL - 29
SP - 867
EP - 875
JO - Toxicon
JF - Toxicon
IS - 7
ER -