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RE: Death Adder
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by Crotalusssp on June 13, 2008
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That is a very interesting question you have posed. With the venomous snakes in Australia being primarily Elapids, Taipans, Browns, Copperheads, and Death Adder's, a Death Adder evolving into the Viperidae is not what is happening. The Death Adder definitively has viper like qualities. The short stout body and thick body are indicative of vipers. The venom is of course more indicative of Elapids. This all being said, what you are seeing is more of convergent evolution. Convergent evolution happens when species evolve to appear and act similarly. The Death Adder, as far as we know with current technology/research and fossil record, is an Elapid through and through.
Charles
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RE: Death Adder
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by Cro on June 14, 2008
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Brandon, I agree with Charles, that is a great question that you have asked.
And I agree also that the Death Adder is showing what is called Convergent Evolution. When you start looking, you will a similar trait in many of the worlds snakes.
This snake has developed a body shape that sure looks like a viper, and because of that, it can hunt like a viper. It relies on its great cryptic coloration to camouflage itself, and hunts by sitting and waiting for a meal to pass by. This type of ambush hunting is quite different than that used by most Australian or New Zealand snakes, and allows this snake to live in a specific niche where it can eat lizards and small rodents.
This snake also uses the end of it's tail as a caudal lure, which can look like a grub to a hungry lizard.
Another interesting behavior, that is unique to Death Adders, and not to American Vipers, is this snakes habit of hiding it's head under it's body coils when it feels threatened. By hiding it's head, it helps the snake to become almost invisible in the leaf and rock litter, and very difficult to ditect in the wild.
Best Regards John Z
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