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Brain Behav Evol

Title:		Prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis) respond to rodent blood with chemosensory searching
Author(s):		Chiszar D; Hobika G; Smith HM;
Address:		"Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309"
Journal Title:		Brain Behav Evol
Year:		1993
Volume:		41
Issue:		3-May
Page Number:		229 - 233
DOI:		10.1159/000113843
ISSN/ISBN:		0006-8977 (Print) 0006-8977 (Linking)
Abstract:		"In Experiment I, homogenized rodent tissue was applied to the lips of prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis). This treatment produced elevated rates of tongue flicking compared to controls that received water, but the elevations seen following stimulation with homogenate were not as large as those seen after snakes struck prey. In Experiment II, water, rodent blood, and integumentary cues were applied to the lips of rattlesnakes, and only blood resulted in elevated rates of tongue flicking. We conclude that blood is a critical component of the homogenate. It is hypothesized that detection of blood during predatory strikes may be a causal element in the triggering of strike-induced chemosensory searching, a typical component of rattlesnake predatory behavior"
Keywords:		Animals *Blood Chemoreceptor Cells/*physiology Humans Mouth/innervation Orientation/*physiology Pheromones/physiology Predatory Behavior/*physiology Rats Snakes/*physiology Tongue/innervation;
Notes:		"MedlineChiszar, D Hobika, G Smith, H M eng Switzerland 1993/01/01 Brain Behav Evol. 1993; 41(3-5):229-33. doi: 10.1159/000113843"