* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Palm Beach Council approves Breakers plans for new Family Entertainment Center – Palm Beach Daily News

    Palm Beach Council Greenlights Exciting New Family Entertainment Center at The Breakers!

    Why Was Kanye West’s South Korea Tour Cancelled? – Yahoo

    Unraveling the Mystery: Why Kanye West’s South Korea Tour Was Canceled

    Entertainment Spotlight: ‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’ – Atlanta News First

    ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ tops box office while The Weeknd’s movie falters – Yakima Herald-Republic

    Final Destination: Bloodlines Dominates the Box Office as The Weeknd’s Film Struggles

    Country Music Legend Bids Heartfelt Farewell: ‘Y’all Gonna Make Me Tear Up!

    We won’t get a Game of Thrones show this year: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms shifts to early 2026 – Entertainment Weekly

    Game of Thrones Fans Will Have to Wait: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Delayed Until 2026!

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    We Think GigaCloud Technology’s (NASDAQ:GCT) Solid Earnings Are Understated – Yahoo Finance

    Unlocking Potential: Why GigaCloud Technology’s Impressive Earnings Deserve More Recognition

    JPMorgan Chase plans to spend $18B in technology in 2025 (JPM:NYSE) – Seeking Alpha

    JPMorgan Chase Unveils Ambitious $18 Billion Tech Investment Plan for 2025!

    Nvidia plans to sell tech to speed AI chip communication – The Indian Express

    Nvidia Unveils Game-Changing Technology to Accelerate AI Chip Communication!

    Murfreesboro LPR technology helps catch suspect in Henry County homicide case – WKRN News 2

    Murfreesboro LPR technology helps catch suspect in Henry County homicide case – WKRN News 2

    How will BCI technology change the lives of people with disabilities? – news.cgtn.com

    Transforming Lives: The Impact of BCI Technology on People with Disabilities

    Super Speeders are deadly. This technology can slow them down. – Popular Science

    Revolutionary Technology: Taming the Threat of Super Speeders!

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Palm Beach Council approves Breakers plans for new Family Entertainment Center – Palm Beach Daily News

    Palm Beach Council Greenlights Exciting New Family Entertainment Center at The Breakers!

    Why Was Kanye West’s South Korea Tour Cancelled? – Yahoo

    Unraveling the Mystery: Why Kanye West’s South Korea Tour Was Canceled

    Entertainment Spotlight: ‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’ – Atlanta News First

    ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ tops box office while The Weeknd’s movie falters – Yakima Herald-Republic

    Final Destination: Bloodlines Dominates the Box Office as The Weeknd’s Film Struggles

    Country Music Legend Bids Heartfelt Farewell: ‘Y’all Gonna Make Me Tear Up!

    We won’t get a Game of Thrones show this year: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms shifts to early 2026 – Entertainment Weekly

    Game of Thrones Fans Will Have to Wait: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Delayed Until 2026!

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    We Think GigaCloud Technology’s (NASDAQ:GCT) Solid Earnings Are Understated – Yahoo Finance

    Unlocking Potential: Why GigaCloud Technology’s Impressive Earnings Deserve More Recognition

    JPMorgan Chase plans to spend $18B in technology in 2025 (JPM:NYSE) – Seeking Alpha

    JPMorgan Chase Unveils Ambitious $18 Billion Tech Investment Plan for 2025!

    Nvidia plans to sell tech to speed AI chip communication – The Indian Express

    Nvidia Unveils Game-Changing Technology to Accelerate AI Chip Communication!

    Murfreesboro LPR technology helps catch suspect in Henry County homicide case – WKRN News 2

    Murfreesboro LPR technology helps catch suspect in Henry County homicide case – WKRN News 2

    How will BCI technology change the lives of people with disabilities? – news.cgtn.com

    Transforming Lives: The Impact of BCI Technology on People with Disabilities

    Super Speeders are deadly. This technology can slow them down. – Popular Science

    Revolutionary Technology: Taming the Threat of Super Speeders!

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

Dice snakes fake their own death, smearing themselves with blood and poop to make the performance extra convincing

May 9, 2024
in Science
Dice snakes fake their own death, smearing themselves with blood and poop to make the performance extra convincing
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Snakes escape predators by playing dead — and they make their performances even more convincing by smearing themselves with their own blood and feces, scientists have discovered.

Playing possum is common in the animal kingdom. Various insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals all fake their own mortality in last-ditch efforts to fool predators. This behavior is known as death feigning or thanatosis. 

In a paper published May 8 in the journal Biology Letters, researchers described how dice snakes (Natrix tessellata) take their Shakespearean theatrics to the next level. 

When confronted by a predator, the snakes expel fecal matter and musk, a putrid digestive byproduct. They then flop on their backs and feign death, and sometimes they begin bleeding from the mouth, likely in an attempt to make themselves a less-appealing meal. 

“Death feigning is a high-risk, high-reward behavior. If you feign death, you’re completely helpless, so it would be nice if you have some sort of protection against just being instantly consumed,” lead author Vukašin Bjelica, a biologist at the University of Belgrade, told Live Science.

Dice snakes reach maximum lengths of about 4 feet (1.2 meters) and are nonvenomous, so they have few defenses against larger mammals and birds in their native range of Europe, Asia and northern Africa. 

But by deploying this suite of behaviors — known as a defense portfolio — dice snakes can make themselves seem unappetizing. The stench of the feces and musk and the bloody drool leaking from their mouths may give the impression that the snake is a rotting carcass rather than a fresh piece of meat. 

Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.

Related: Slow-motion footage of snake attacks reveals surprise discovery about how they kill

The revulsion and confusion that this macabre display evokes in a potential predator may provide just enough time for the snake to escape or even induce the predator to abandon its efforts entirely. 

The researchers focused on a population on Golem Grad, an island in Lake Prespa, North Macedonia. This population appears to be more predisposed to thanatosis than other populations of dice snakes. 

“The dice snakes from Golem Grad are in a peculiar set of circumstances. First of all, there is an intense avian predation pressure. Second, these snakes are rather large when compared to their mainland relatives,” Bjelica said. “Being big is good if you’re faced off against a gape-limited predator such as some birds.”

They tested 263 dice snakes on the island by handling them in ways that simulated how a predator might approach its prey — grasping, holding and stretching its body. Of these snakes, 124 smeared feces on their bodies. Twenty-eight bled from the mouth — a phenomenon called autohemorrhaging or reflex bleeding. 

Bjelica thinks that individual personalities may determine whether the snakes engage in this behavior. “Some individuals are more bold — prone to risks — or shy — less likely to engage in risky behavior,” he said.

Only one juvenile snake bled from the mouth, indicating that this behavior is more common in adults, and it may be too much of a risk for smaller snakes. “Juvenile snakes are smaller than adults and can easily be consumed. This might be one of the reasons they avoid this risky display,” Bjelica said.

Dice snakes that expelled feces and musk and then bled from the mouth spent less time in a death-feigning state, the researchers found. The snakes that used fecal smearing and mouth bleeding spent an average of 2 seconds less in thanatosis, which the researchers believe to be significant survival advantage.

These snakes are not the only animals known to go the extra mile when playing dead. Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) may defecate and drool while feigning death, indicating that this evolutionary strategy has proven useful across the spectrum of animal life.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Live Science – https://www.livescience.com/animals/snakes/snakes-use-blood-and-feces-to-convince-predators-they-are-dead

Tags: deathsciencesnakes
Previous Post

See stunning reconstruction of ancient Egyptian mummy that languished at an Australian high school for a century

Next Post

Macworld Podcast: Apple lets loose with new iPad Pro, iPad Air, and more

Uzbek Ecology Officials’ Study Trip to Finland – Mirage News

Uzbek Ecology Officials’ Study Trip to Finland – Mirage News

May 20, 2025
The Roots of Dementia Trace Back All The Way to Childhood, Experts Say – ScienceAlert

The Roots of Dementia Trace Back All The Way to Childhood, Experts Say – ScienceAlert

May 20, 2025
Science Olympiad National Tournament to draw 2,000-plus to Nebraska U | Newswise – Newswise

Excitement Builds as Over 2,000 Competitors Gear Up for the Science Olympiad National Tournament at Nebraska University!

May 20, 2025
Katie Price reveals real reason for her weight loss: ‘It’s driving me mad’ – The Independent

Katie Price Opens Up About Her Weight Loss Journey: “It’s Driving Me Mad!

May 20, 2025
Column | How ancient India changed the world – The Washington Post

Unveiling the Impact of Ancient India on Global Civilization

May 20, 2025
How Much Does Biopharma Contribute To The US Economy? – insights.citeline.com

How Much Does Biopharma Contribute To The US Economy? – insights.citeline.com

May 20, 2025
Palm Beach Council approves Breakers plans for new Family Entertainment Center – Palm Beach Daily News

Palm Beach Council Greenlights Exciting New Family Entertainment Center at The Breakers!

May 20, 2025
Biden’s prostate cancer: What happened, how serious is Gleason score 9? – Al Jazeera

Understanding Biden’s Prostate Cancer: The Implications of a Gleason Score 9

May 20, 2025
Cracks emerge in MAHA-MAGA alliance as RFK Jr. builds out his team of health ‘renegades’ – CNN

Cracks in the MAHA-MAGA Alliance: RFK Jr. Assembles a Team of Health ‘Renegades

May 20, 2025
We Think GigaCloud Technology’s (NASDAQ:GCT) Solid Earnings Are Understated – Yahoo Finance

Unlocking Potential: Why GigaCloud Technology’s Impressive Earnings Deserve More Recognition

May 20, 2025

Categories

Archives

May 2025
MTWTFSS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
« Apr    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (622)
  • Economy (635)
  • Entertainment (21,549)
  • General (15,223)
  • Health (9,677)
  • Lifestyle (640)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (638)
  • Politics (643)
  • Science (15,859)
  • Sports (21,145)
  • Technology (15,626)
  • World (625)

Recent News

Uzbek Ecology Officials’ Study Trip to Finland – Mirage News

Uzbek Ecology Officials’ Study Trip to Finland – Mirage News

May 20, 2025
The Roots of Dementia Trace Back All The Way to Childhood, Experts Say – ScienceAlert

The Roots of Dementia Trace Back All The Way to Childhood, Experts Say – ScienceAlert

May 20, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version