Monash Captures 100+ Ultra-fast Snake Strikes

A Monash University–led team published the largest high-speed, multi-angle study to date in the Journal of Experimental Biology, using two 1,000-frames-per-second cameras at Venomworld (Paris) to record more than 100 strikes from 36 venomous snake species across vipers, elapids and colubrids as they lunged at warmed muscle-like gel. 3D reconstructions show vipers typically reach prey within about 100 milliseconds (with some species striking in roughly 20–22 ms) and 'walk' their long, folding fangs into position before injecting venom. Elapids tend to creep up and deliver repeated bites with their permanently erect, shorter fangs to squeeze venom into prey. Rear-fanged colubrids open wider and saw or rotate their jaws to tear flesh and maximize venom delivery. Many strikes occur faster than the mammalian startle response, and the multi-camera, high-resolution approach overcomes limitations of earlier single-camera, low-light field studies, revealing distinct family-level venom-delivery strategies and new biomechanical detail relevant to the evolution of snake feeding and envenomation mechanics.