... thermal radiation could also direct thermoregulatory behavior by remotely sensing nearby surface temperatures. Using a series of behavioral arenas of varying spatial complexity and ecological relevance, we surveyed the ability of the western diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus atrox to direct successful...

.... In this study, we used sonomicrometry and electromyography to test the relative contributions of energy reduction and energy recycling strategies in the tailshaker muscles of western diamondback rattlesnakes ( Crotalus atrox ). We found that tailshaker muscle contractions produce a mean strain of 3%, which...

... sound included frequency modulation. The trial stimuli were presented to western diamondback rattlesnakes Crotalus atrox at a level 5-10 dB above their perception threshold. Four significant behavioural responses were observed upon stimulus presentation: cessation of body movements, reduction...

... study showed that the cost per twitch of rattling is independent of twitch frequency. We used force and video recordings over a range of temperatures to examine how western diamondback rattlesnakes ( Crotalus atrox ) achieve faster movements without increases in metabolic cost. The key findings are (i...

...Paul J. Schaeffer; Kevin E. Conley; Stan L. Lindstedt ABSTRACT The western diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus atrox can rattle its tail continuously for hours at frequencies approaching 90 Hz. We examined the basis of these fast sustainable contractions using electromyography, data on oxygen uptake...