Communication and displays of snakes

Abstract

With limitations imposed by the lack of appendages and elongate morphology, snakes exhibit a variety of unique ritualistic behaviors in the contexts of agonistic encounters and courtship and mating. During male combat rituals, actions involve high vertical display stances (crotaline) to horizontal stances (colubrid) with either male attempting to force the other's head down. Superior position appears to be important during these encounters. Dominant and subordinate actions and postures are recognized. Courting snakes exhibit a variety of positions and movements, performed primarily by the male, which appear to passify the female and induce her receptivity. Actions involved may be chin rubbing, body jerks or caudocephalic waves, cephalocaudal waves, tail searching, pushing, nudging, biting, and tail raising. Sequences and phases of the actions used vary with the species. Significant features of these behaviors are the different actions taking place separately or simultaneously along the elongate cylindrical snake. Visual, tactile, and olfactory communication each play a role. © 1977 American Society of Zoologists.