I've been wondering why garters have evolved keeled scales.What advantages do they get from this adaption?
Results 1 to 10 of 12
Thread: Keeled scales.
-
08-17-2012, 05:37 AM #1Thamnophis cymru
- Join Date
- Mar 2012
- Location
- Swansea (twinned with Mordor), Cymru
- Posts
- 1,449
Keeled scales.
Will
-
08-17-2012, 06:56 AM #2T. radix Ranch
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
- Location
- C.B,Iowa(radixville)
- Posts
- 23,452
Re: Keeled scales.
Found this info. Seems to make sense.
Keeled scales - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaSteve
5 awesome kids!
Emmy, Kale, Molly, Gabby, Hailee
They are not just snakes. They're garter snakes.
http://www.youtube.com/user/thamnophis14?feature=mhee
-
08-17-2012, 07:26 AM #3"PM Boots For Custom Title"
- Join Date
- Feb 2010
- Location
- malta illinois
- Posts
- 1,875
Re: Keeled scales.
thats a cool article...ive witnessed sand vipers stridulating their scales...its pretty wild
-
08-17-2012, 07:34 AM #4Thamnophis cymru
- Join Date
- Mar 2012
- Location
- Swansea (twinned with Mordor), Cymru
- Posts
- 1,449
Re: Keeled scales.
Great link Steve.Isn't Wikipedia a beautiful thing
Will
-
08-17-2012, 08:27 AM #5T.s. affectionado
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- Delaware
- Posts
- 6,256
Re: Keeled scales.
Awesome link...I had no idea about the stridulating...but it is very cool. I think the camoflauge thing makes perfect sense.
Marnie
3.3 T.s.sirtalis 1.0 T.marcianus 1.2 T.radix 1.0 T.s.parietalis
Izzy, Seeley, Ziggy, Perseus, Peanut, Snapper, Hermes, Sadie, Osiris, Seraphina, Little Joe
-
08-17-2012, 08:37 PM #6Thamnophis houstonius
- Join Date
- May 2012
- Location
- Houston
- Posts
- 1,973
Re: Keeled scales.
Never heard of "stridulation" before. That is pretty interesting.
~* Emily *~
Canis lupus familiaris- Tippy, Thamnophis proximus orarius- Proximus, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis- Tallie
-
08-18-2012, 06:59 AM #7Dutch, bold and Thamnophis-crazy
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Location
- Netherlands
- Posts
- 1,659
Re: Keeled scales.
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.
It is always advisable to be a loser if you cannot become a winner.
Frank Zappa
-
08-18-2012, 08:00 AM #8T.s. affectionado
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- Delaware
- Posts
- 6,256
Re: Keeled scales.
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.
Marnie
3.3 T.s.sirtalis 1.0 T.marcianus 1.2 T.radix 1.0 T.s.parietalis
Izzy, Seeley, Ziggy, Perseus, Peanut, Snapper, Hermes, Sadie, Osiris, Seraphina, Little Joe
-
08-18-2012, 09:38 AM #9Subadult snake
- Join Date
- Mar 2012
- Location
- Southampton, UK
- Posts
- 309
Re: Keeled scales.
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
Sam 2.1 T.s.sirtalis 0.2 T.marcianus 0.0.1 L.g.floridana 1.0 L.g.californiae 1.0 Eryx colubrinus 0.0.1 P.g.guttatus 0.1 Python regius
-
08-19-2012, 06:58 AM #10Forum Moderator
- Join Date
- Oct 2006
- Location
- Southern Finland
- Posts
- 12,389
Re: Keeled scales.
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.
Originally Posted by Thamnophis
Reply With Quote
Posting Permissions
|
|
|