Sneaky Snakes
We’re afraid of poisonous snakes, but most snakes have no venom and therefore are not dangerous. What can a non-poisonous snake do to ward off predators? One type of snake has developed its own version of the “poison ring” that certain Medieval ladies wore in case they wanted to pour a lethal substance into someone’s drink.
Herpetologists Deborah Hutchinson and Alan Savitzky discovered an Asian snake that eats poisonous toads, so it can use the toad toxin as a defensive weapon. It stores the toad poison in its neck glands, where it can be released during an attack. Art credit: freeimages.co.uk
read more