Academic literature on the topic 'Centipede snakes'

Abstract Gigantism and dwarfism are relatively well-known phenomena in island vertebrates. Land-bridge islands off the Brazilian coast house subsets of the Atlantic Forest biota and can be considered as natural experiments for evolutionary studies. The common lancehead, Bothrops jararaca, is a medium-sized pitviper widely distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. It feeds on ectothermic frogs, lizards, and centipedes when juvenile, and on endothermic mammals and birds when adult. Four out of six insular species of lanceheads could be considered as dwarfs when compared to the mainland forms (53.7% to 85.3% of snout-vent length). As there are no mammals on the islands, insular forms feed on ectothermic prey, supporting the “diet alteration hypothesis,” in which body size is the outcome of prey availability. Phenotypic plasticity regarding body morphology and diet may have played important roles in the evolution of body size in this snake complex.

Understanding the ecology of species at risk is extremely important for their conservation and management. Due to land clearing for urban expansion, agriculture, and the import of pets, several snake species including the red-tongue viper (Gloydius ussuriensis) on Jeju Island of South Korea, have become threatened. We studied morphology, distribution, habitat characteristics, diet, and reproduction of red-tongue viper to provide a higher understanding of species ecology. This species on average reach 242–580 mm snout-vent length and is found in a wide range of habitat from mountain forest to lowland areas. Adult snakes prey almost entirely on amphibians followed by mammals and centipedes. The mating usually takes place in spring and birth takes place in autumn. This study points out the major threats and ill-information if addressed will not only contribute to the conservation efforts but also improve the negative attitudes that people hold toward these fascinating animals. The ecological data of G. ussuriensis herein provides basic information which assists in designing the management technique for conservation. Similar applications may be generalized and used to other vulnerable species to detect and quantify population ecology and risks, bolstering conservation methods that can be used to optimize the efficacy of conservation measures.

There are many instances when the application of simple wave theory can lead to powerful insights and testable predictions. ‘Biological waves’ considers some representative samples of different kinds of wave that are of biological significance. It discusses the different types of brain waves, first discovered in the 1920s by Hans Berger, including alpha, beta, delta, theta, and gamma waves; the rhythm of heart beats; the wave motion of peristalsis that travels all the way down the alimentary tract from throat to rectum; the different wave motion in the locomotion of animals such as worms, snakes, centipedes, and millipedes; and the patterns made by groups of animals such as starling flocks.