Keeled scales.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

I've been wondering why garters have evolved keeled scales.What advantages do they get from this adaption?

[guidofatherof5]

Found this info. Seems to make sense.
Keeled scales - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keeled_scales)

[BUSHSNAKE]

thats a cool article...ive witnessed sand vipers stridulating their scales...its pretty wild

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Great link Steve.Isn't Wikipedia a beautiful thing:D

[EasternGirl]

Awesome link...I had no idea about the stridulating...but it is very cool. I think the camoflauge thing makes perfect sense.

[ProXimuS]

Never heard of "stridulation" before. That is pretty interesting.

[Thamnophis]

The "stridulation" is not the reason why garter snakes have keeled scales. The "being less shine" can be a reason, but i suspect the most important reason why they have keeled scales is that it helps during the swimming. They can get more resistance that way, I guess. When you are completely smooth the swimming is less effective.

[EasternGirl]

Well...the link that Steve posted actually said that the keeled scales were more for camoflauging purposes...the "less shine" effect. I can see them being effective for swimming purposes as well. I think the mention of stridulation was just an added..."this is cool too"...factor. :)

[Eight]

I hadn't even thought about stridulation in snakes before, but I've had some pretty large spider stridulate at me before. I would have to agree with the camouflage theory though. I'm sure keeled scaled would help with swimming though

[Stefan-A]

The "stridulation" is not the reason why garter snakes have keeled scales. The "being less shine" can be a reason, but i suspect the most important reason why they have keeled scales is that it helps during the swimming. They can get more resistance that way, I guess. When you are completely smooth the swimming is less effective.
What about aquatic snakes that don't have keeled scales and fully terrestrial snakes that do? And if the keels help with swimming, it should work on land as well, against the substrate and vegetation.

[Eight]

I was thinking along those lines, especially concerning sea snakes /kraits but I don't really know too much about them. I mean do rattle snakes swim? As they all have keeled scales as far as I'm aware.

On a side note I prefer keeled scales, I find they feel better when I'm handling than with smooth scaled snakes.

[Eight]

Also about the terrestrial locomotion, don't all snakes have smooth belly scales, so keeled scales surely wouldn't be a benefit to locomotion on land?