Sea snakes swim their way to media glory
Research by the Environment Institute's has made international headlines, following media coverage of her research into sea snakes in , , and .
The research, which was published in , uncovered an extra sense for sea-dwelling snakes.
“Land snakes and many lizards have small raised structures on the scales on their heads – called scale sensilla – that they use to sense objects by direct touch,” says Crowe-Riddell.
“We believe sea snakes use these organs to sense objects at a distance by ‘feeling’ movements in the water. This hydrodynamic sense is not an option for land animals. In water, a new way of sensing the environment becomes possible.”
Read more about this.
[caption id="attachment_10568" align="aligncenter" width="300"] IMAGE CREDIT: Chris Malam[/caption]
The research, which was published in , uncovered an extra sense for sea-dwelling snakes.
“Land snakes and many lizards have small raised structures on the scales on their heads – called scale sensilla – that they use to sense objects by direct touch,” says Crowe-Riddell.
“We believe sea snakes use these organs to sense objects at a distance by ‘feeling’ movements in the water. This hydrodynamic sense is not an option for land animals. In water, a new way of sensing the environment becomes possible.”
Read more about this.
[caption id="attachment_10568" align="aligncenter" width="300"] IMAGE CREDIT: Chris Malam[/caption]
Newsletter & social media
Join us for a sensational mix of news, events and research at the Environment Institute. Find out aboutnew initiatives andshare with your friends what's happening.