How do Colombian water snakes use strange “sensors” to hunt prey?

Researchers in Colombia have studied the skin of water snakes to find out how sensilla – tiny sensor-like structures – might help them find and attack prey.

The sensilla are dome-shaped protrusions from the skin of freshwater garter snakes. They function as sensory organs for detecting direct pressure stimuli or vibrations.

Valeria Velasquez Cañon, a biologist and graduate of the University of Caldas in Colombia, says that she and the co-authors of an article published in July 2024 in the international journal Limits of amphibian and reptile research examined these structures in the body of snakes of the species Helicops sylvatica (a fish eater found in rocky rivers) and Helicops Danieli And Helicops angulatus (two species typically found in grassland floodplains and feed more generally on fish, frogs, and lizards).

“One of the most interesting findings is the observation that these sensilla do not have a uniform distribution along the body, but are mainly concentrated on the sides of the neck,” she says. “Although the hunting behavior of these species has not yet been described, these results could give us clues that they perform ‘lateral strikes’ to hunt predators.”

Velasquez says the study shows that in the vertebral scales of helicopterwhere this keel is much more pronounced, these structures are concentrated in a straight line along the “keel” (raised lines on the scale surface), compared to the lateral scales, which have a less pronounced keel.

“This finding raises new questions: Could the keel play an important role in how these snakes sense their environment?” she says.

Growing up in Colombia

Originally from the mountain town of Manizales in Colombia, Velasquez says she was an extremely curious person as a child, which influenced her decision to study biology.

“Throughout my career, I discovered research as a way to satisfy my curiosity. It wasn’t just about asking myself questions, but also about having the tools to answer those questions,” he says. “In addition, during my first semesters of undergraduate studies, I fell in love with reptiles, especially herpes, and was fascinated by their ecology, evolution, natural history and physiology. For this reason, over the years I have dedicated myself to researching and studying these interesting animals, especially through scientific collections.”

Velasquez explains that in 2022 she was an intern in the Humboldt Institute’s amphibian and reptile collection in Colombia and used this access for an internship as part of a project.

“This is how I ended up leading and contributing to this work with other researchers from the Humboldt Institute and the Universidad de los Andes,” she says. “This work shows that collections are repositories where we can not only find records of biodiversity and the discovery of new species, but also offer a wide range of opportunities to understand the natural history and sensory ecology of organisms,” she says.

Velasquez explains that she believes it is essential to encourage scientists from developing countries to actively participate in research and problem-solving at both the national and global levels.

“Although we often face limiting conditions (usually economic in nature) that hinder the process of science, I firmly believe in the ability to solve problems, innovate and research using what we have”Creole science, “That is, indigenous science,” she says, adding that writing scientific texts in a foreign language was a challenge during her project, as was limited, paid access to sophisticated equipment, such as electron microscopes.

“That is why it is so important to support and give voice to all the knowledge and experiences that not only offer unique perspectives or knowledge about different socio-cultural and environmental contexts, but also provide solutions that not only benefit the country, but also inspire, enrich and contribute to the equity and sustainability of science worldwide,” she says.

Colombia’s glowing lizards

Elsewhere in Colombia, Camilo Andrés Estupiñan, a biologist at the Icesi University in Colombia and researcher at the Interandinos Foundation, and a group of passionate lizard researchers have created a guide to the dozens of species of Anole: small, colorful tree lizards that are related to iguanas.

In Colombia there are over 75 species of Anole The males have large throat fans, called dewlaps, to attract females.

“Colombia has the greatest diversity of Anole species in the world, and this book seeks to capture and share that wealth,” he says, adding that it is a collaborative project of the Interandinos Foundation.

“The available information on these species is quite scattered, which is a big challenge for us, but we have received incredible support from the scientific community, which has contributed significantly,” he says. “Maria, the illustrator of this book, has done an exceptional job and exceeded our expectations with illustrations that accurately capture the unique features of each species.”