Scientists at Toho University in Japan have successfully recorded an extraordinary locomotion method used by a specific snake species, which coils its body into a loop and rolls away like a wheel when facing danger. This unique biomechanical technique purportedly allows the reptile to move approximately four times faster than standard slithering. *Note: The research findings are presented as claimed by the study authors.*

The researchers closely examined the unusual movement habits of Cantor's mud snake (Pseudorabdion longiceps). According to the observations, the animal makes a sharp forward dash, curls its body into a ring shape, and rolls, repeating the motion continuously to resemble a bouncing wheel.

Through this distinctive technique, the snake can cover a distance of roughly 30 centimeters per second. Experts note that this speed is approximately four times higher than its conventional crawling pace, providing a critical evasion advantage against potential predators.

Interestingly, the snake does not require any central axis to execute this wheel-like movement. It manages to roll entirely through coordinated rotational movements of its flexible body while maintaining a remarkably stable head position throughout the process.

High-speed video recordings enabled the scientific team to slow down the footage and analyze each individual rolling cycle in distinct stages. The results of this peculiar study have been officially published in the academic journal Current Biology.

Source: kun.uz