Dead snake! A strategy for survival: Thanatosis in some Panamanian snakes with a review of death-feigning in American snakes

Abstract

Thanatosis (pretending to be dead), sometimes called letisimulation, is widely used as an anti-predator strategy by snakes. Herein we report six cases of death-feigning in six species of Panamanian snakes (Dark-headed Red Falseboa, Pseudoboa neuwiedii; Double-banded False Coralsnake, Erythrolamprus bizona; Forest Flamesnake, Oxyrhopus petolarius; Rufous-headed Snake, Amastridium veliferum; Colombian Long-tailed Snake, Enuliophis sclateri; and Pacific Banded Coffee Snake, Ninia maculata). We also present a literature review of thanatosis in American snakes and discuss the terminology associated with this behavior.