Snakes use their tails to disguise themselves as spiders to lure prey.

Spider snakes hunt effectively by cleverly camouflaging themselves and waving the tip of their tail, which looks very much like a spider, to attract birds.

Spider-tailed snakes ( Pseudocerastes urarachnoides ), found mainly in Iran and Iraq, lure prey by simply wagging their tails, leaving everything else motionless. With just a few tail movements, they can make the tip of their tail look like a crawling spider. This "spider" looks very real, even to a person who has been warned, Science Alert reported on January 8.

The “spider” at the tip of the snake’s tail is actually a mass of tissue with long tendrils on either side. When dormant, it appears harmless. However, it can come to life in a split second. The spider-like effect is all the more powerful when you consider the snake’s stealthy nature: the rest of its body blends seamlessly into the surrounding soil and rocks.

With its excellent camouflage ability, spider snakes are almost invisible to birds looking for food. They mistake the snake's tail for a real spider and swoop down to pounce, not knowing that they have been trapped and are about to become a delicious meal for the snake.

The spider snake has one of the most intricate tail ornaments ever recorded of any snake. But this mysterious creature has managed to evade scientists for decades. The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago has held a single specimen that has been preserved for 35 years.

The specimen's tail was unusual, but scientists were unsure whether it was a new species or just a deformity. The strange tip could also be a tumor or the result of a parasite.

It wasn’t until 2003 that experts found another snake of the same type and confirmed it as a completely new species. But even then, they knew very little about its behavior in the wild. Bird remains were found in the bellies of some specimens, but it was unclear how the snakes managed to catch their prey at such high altitudes.

After years of observing spider snakes in their natural habitat, Iranian scientists published their research results in 2015. The team discovered that spider snakes spend an average of about a third of their time wagging their tails at key ambush sites. When a bird is in sight, the intensity of the tail wagging increases by about four times.

Several other snakes use similar tail tactics when hunting, but the spider snake's way of imitating spiders is particularly ingenious. According to preliminary data, their tactics are most effective when used on migratory birds, which are not accustomed to the risks of catching spiders in mountainous areas.

Thu Thao (According to Science Alert )

Source link