Gone in 60 milliseconds: dramatic slow-motion snake bites reveal clues about how fangs and venom kill prey

"Venomous snakes must strike fast to sink their fangs in prey before they startle as quickly as 60 milliseconds when hunting rodents. New research has captured in slow-motion footage the differences in how venomous serpents bite their targets. Scientists studied 36 species of venomous snake, filming them at 1,000 frames a second as they struck an object made of ballistic gel that resembled the structure of human skin and muscle. How I learned to stop worrying and love the snakes in my ceiling The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, documented the bites of three snake families: vipers, elapids and colubrids."

"Slow motion footage played at 3% of realtime speed of a sharp-nosed pit viper (Deinagkistrodon acutus) unfolding its fangs when striking. Viper species, such as the sharp-nosed pit viper (Deinagkistrodon acutus), struck within 100 milliseconds, walking their fangs forward into a better position on the target before injecting venom, the researchers found. Sign up: AU Breaking News email When the snake is about to hit their prey the vipers are actually able to fold out their fangs, said the study's co-author, Prof Alistair Evans of Monash University."

"Elapids, such as the rough-scaled death adder (Acanthophis rugosus, native to northern Australia) and the Cape coral snake (Aspidelaps lubricus), tended to sneak up before striking and biting repeatedly. Elapid snakes have permanently erect fangs, which tend to be shorter than that of vipers, Evans said. Multiple biting contracts the muscles around the venom gland. The elapid family also includes cobras and mambas, as well as venomous Australian snakes such as taipans, the eastern brown and the red-bellied black snake, but the specific strike patterns of these species were not studied."

Venomous snakes strike extremely quickly to sink fangs into prey, sometimes startling prey within about 60 milliseconds. Researchers filmed 36 venomous species at 1,000 frames per second striking ballistic gel that mimicked skin and muscle. The study documented three snake families: vipers, elapids and colubrids. Vipers can unfold long, hinged fangs and often strike within 100 milliseconds, adjusting fang position before injecting venom. Elapids possess permanently erect, shorter fangs, tend to sneak up and bite repeatedly, and multiple bites contract muscles around the venom gland. Colubrids have fangs located toward the back of the mouth.

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