The zigzag pattern on the back of a common European vipers not only helps them in disguise, but also creates optical illusion that prevent predators to catch the snake. This is the conclusion of biologists from Finland.
Both of these effect work equally well. This suggests that the protective coloration of animals may be multifunctional, reports TASS with reference to the results of the study.
Vipers, rattlesnakes and their relatives are considered a symbol lightning-fast response, ultra-high speed and almost guaranteed precision attack on the victim. They hunt small mammals and reptiles ambush, jumping with great speed and literally “Kalacheva” fangs in the victim’s body. One of the secrets of their successful hunt is considered the camouflage coloring of their scales to help blend in with nature and hide until the moment when the victim has not come close.
However, scientists believe, bright patterns serve as a warning to predators that may try to attack the snake.
However, there are other properties of color. Monitor the speed of the snakes revealed that they are moving quickly enough to produce the effect that neuroscientists call “flicker fusion” — when people do not perceive flicker any light source or object if they occur with high enough frequency.
In the case of vipers, the effect leads to the fact that in a fast moving snake stripes on their body merge into a unified whole. This prevents the eyes of a human or predator to determine the direction and distance to the crawling reptile.
Similar is the role of stripes on zebras body, preventing the flies to sit on the body of these animals and forcing the lions to consider that their victim is running faster or slower than it actually is.
Earlier NEWS.ru wrote that Indian scientists from the University of South Gujarat found in the North new guide of vipers. Snake has bright green scales, which helps to hide in the grass.
