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Venom flow in rattlesnakes: mechanics and metering

Bruce A. Young* and Krista Zahn

Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042, USA



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  		Fig. 1. A ‘typical’ venom flow profile. The key kinematic episodes of the strike are indicated: L, launch; E, fang erection; P, fang penetration; W, fang withdrawal. Note the low level of retrograde flow immediately prior to fang penetration, the temporal coincidence between venom expulsion and fang penetration and the prominent venom suction (*) following venom expulsion.

 


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  		Fig. 2. Venom flow profile illustrating multiple pulses of venom expulsion associated with asymmetric movements of the fangs. Analysis of the synchronized video recording revealed that the three pulses correspond to penetration of the contralateral fang, penetration of the ipsilateral fang and repositioning of the contralateral fang.

 


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  		Fig. 3. Venom flow profile from a unilateral strike. In the initial strike, only the contralateral fang penetrated the target, which corresponded to the initial broad pulse of venom flow. Subsequently, the snake pivoted so that its ipsilateral fang could penetrate, which resulted in the second, narrower pulse of venom flow. During the initial pulse of venom flow, no venom was ejected from the free fang tip.

 


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  		Fig. 4. Venom flow profile from a strike in which the fangs penetrated the target but no venom was ejected. A small retrograde pulse of venom flow was observed in the terminal portions of fang erection, but no other venom flow was recorded. P, fang penetration; W, fang withdrawal.

 

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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2001