02124nas a2200205   4500008004100000022001400041245009000055210006900145260001600214300001400230490000700244520149600251653002301747653001201770653001301782653002101795653002401816100002101840856005701861       2003                        eng d  a0033-577000aSnake Bioacoustics: Toward a Richer Understanding of the Behavioral Ecology of Snakes0 aSnake Bioacoustics Toward a Richer Understanding of the Behavior  cJan-09-2003  a303 - 3250 v783 a<p>Snakes are frequently described in both popular and technical literature as either deaf or able to perceive only groundborne vibrations. Physiological studies have shown that snakes are actually most sensitive to airborne vibrations. Snakes are able to detect both airborne and groundborne vibrations using their body surface (termed somatic hearing) as well as from their inner ears. The central auditory pathways for these two modes of &ldquo;hearing&rdquo; remain unknown. Recent experimental evidence has shown that snakes can respond behaviorally to both airborne and groundborne vibrations. The ability of snakes to contextualize the sounds and respond with consistent predatory or defensive behaviors suggests that auditory stimuli may play a larger role in the behavioral ecology of snakes than was previously realized. Snakes produce sounds in a variety of ways, and there appear to be multiple acoustic Batesian mimicry complexes among snakes. Analyses of the proclivity for sound production and the acoustics of the sounds produced within a habitat or phylogeny specific context may provide insights into the behavioral ecology of snakes. The relatively low information content in the sounds produced by snakes suggests that these sounds are not suitable for intraspecific communication. Nevertheless, given the diversity of habitats in which snakes are found, and their dual auditory pathways, some form of intraspecific acoustic communication may exist in some species.</p>
10adefensive behavior10ahearing10areptiles10asound production10avibration detection1 aYoung, Bruce, A.  uhttps://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/377052