Sidewinders’ bellies are studded with tiny pits and have few, if any, of the tiny spikes found on the bellies of other snakes. The discovery includes a mathematical model linking these distinct structures to function.

Scientists took a microscopic look at the skin of sidewinders to see if it plays a role in their unique method of movement. They discovered that sidewinders’ bellies are studded with tiny pits and have few, if any, of the tiny spikes found on the bellies of other snakes.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published the discovery, which includes a mathematical model linking these distinct structures to function.

«The specialized locomotion of sidewinders evolved independently in different species in different parts of the world, suggesting that sidewinding is a good solution to a problem,» says Jennifer Rieser, assistant professor of physics at Emory University and a first author of the study. «Understanding how and why this example of convergent evolution works may allow us to adapt it for our own needs, such as building robots that can move in challenging environments.»

Co-authors of the paper include Joseph Mendelson, a herpetologist and the director of research at Zoo Atlanta; evolutionary biologist Jessica Tingle (University of California, Riverside); and physicists Daniel Goldman (Georgia Tech) and co-first author Tai-De Li (City University of New York).

Rieser’s research interests bring together the physics of soft matter — flowable materials like sand — and organismal biology. She studies how animals’ surfaces interact with the flowable materials in their environments to get around. Insights from her research may lead to improvements in human technology.

Story Source:
Materials provided by Emory Health Sciences. Original written by Carol Clark. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.