TY  - JOUR
AU  - Bjelica, Vukašin
AU  - Anđelković, Marko
AU  - Maričić, Marko
AU  - Tomović, Ljiljana
AU  - Bonnet, Xavier
AU  - Golubović, Ana
PY  - 2024
UR  - http://radar.ibiss.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/6756
AB  - When captured, many prey respond by biting the predator or struggling to get free.
However, one indirect escape option is death feigning (DF), in which complete
immobility supposedly “tricks” the predator into abandoning its meal. But lying
motionless and exposed to a predator is dangerous; therefore, individuals should
optimize DF occurrence and duration. We captured colour polymorphic dice snakes
(Natrix tessellata, Natricidae) (N = 271) in the field and measured two behavioural
responses: (1) the occurrence and duration of immobility/DF; (2) the number of
tongue-flicking sequences (TF). Tongue flicking is an essential component of a key
sensory mechanism to check the safety of the environment before attempting
escape. We experimentally assessed the relationship between these two behaviours
and the effects of phenotypic characteristic of snakes on the occurrence and duration
of immobility and of TF. Snake phenotype had multiple effects. Gravid
females avoided DF and displayed more TF sequences during the tests compared
to non-gravid females and males. Blotched snakes stayed immobile longer than
green and melanistic snakes. Larger individuals remained in DF for longer and
showed fewer TF sequences than smaller individuals. Snakes burdened with a
recent meal postponed fleeing and displayed more TF sequences than snakes without
food. Finally, snakes showing more TF sequences postponed fleeing, which
suggests that dice snakes assessed predatory risks and adapted escape behaviour to
their risk status. Future studies should examine how individuals estimate the appropriate
timing to shift from immobility to escape.
PB  - Hoboken: Wiley
T2  - Journal of Zoology
T1  - Tongue flicking heralds flight behaviour following passive antipredator displays in dice snakes
IS  - 4
VL  - 322
DO  - 10.1111/jzo.13150
SP  - 364
EP  - 374
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Bjelica, Vukašin and Anđelković, Marko and Maričić, Marko and Tomović, Ljiljana and Bonnet, Xavier and Golubović, Ana",
year = "2024",
abstract = "When captured, many prey respond by biting the predator or struggling to get free.
However, one indirect escape option is death feigning (DF), in which complete
immobility supposedly “tricks” the predator into abandoning its meal. But lying
motionless and exposed to a predator is dangerous; therefore, individuals should
optimize DF occurrence and duration. We captured colour polymorphic dice snakes
(Natrix tessellata, Natricidae) (N = 271) in the field and measured two behavioural
responses: (1) the occurrence and duration of immobility/DF; (2) the number of
tongue-flicking sequences (TF). Tongue flicking is an essential component of a key
sensory mechanism to check the safety of the environment before attempting
escape. We experimentally assessed the relationship between these two behaviours
and the effects of phenotypic characteristic of snakes on the occurrence and duration
of immobility and of TF. Snake phenotype had multiple effects. Gravid
females avoided DF and displayed more TF sequences during the tests compared
to non-gravid females and males. Blotched snakes stayed immobile longer than
green and melanistic snakes. Larger individuals remained in DF for longer and
showed fewer TF sequences than smaller individuals. Snakes burdened with a
recent meal postponed fleeing and displayed more TF sequences than snakes without
food. Finally, snakes showing more TF sequences postponed fleeing, which
suggests that dice snakes assessed predatory risks and adapted escape behaviour to
their risk status. Future studies should examine how individuals estimate the appropriate
timing to shift from immobility to escape.",
publisher = "Hoboken: Wiley",
journal = "Journal of Zoology",
title = "Tongue flicking heralds flight behaviour following passive antipredator displays in dice snakes",
number = "4",
volume = "322",
doi = "10.1111/jzo.13150",
pages = "364-374"
}

Bjelica, V., Anđelković, M., Maričić, M., Tomović, L., Bonnet, X.,& Golubović, A.. (2024). Tongue flicking heralds flight behaviour following passive antipredator displays in dice snakes. in Journal of Zoology
Hoboken: Wiley., 322(4), 364-374.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.13150

Bjelica V, Anđelković M, Maričić M, Tomović L, Bonnet X, Golubović A. Tongue flicking heralds flight behaviour following passive antipredator displays in dice snakes. in Journal of Zoology. 2024;322(4):364-374.
doi:10.1111/jzo.13150 .

Bjelica, Vukašin, Anđelković, Marko, Maričić, Marko, Tomović, Ljiljana, Bonnet, Xavier, Golubović, Ana, "Tongue flicking heralds flight behaviour following passive antipredator displays in dice snakes" in Journal of Zoology, 322, no. 4 (2024):364-374,
https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.13150 . .

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Bjelica, Vukašin
AU  - Anđelković, Marko
AU  - Lakušić, Margareta
AU  - Maričić, Marko
AU  - Arsovski, Dragan
AU  - Tomović, Ljiljana
AU  - Golubović, Ana
PY  - 2023
UR  - http://radar.ibiss.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/5718
AB  - When captured by a predator, the prey’s options for escape decrease dramatically; however, some species, such as dice snakes, display a wide variety of behaviours in order to escape. We explored how factors such as locality, body temperature, body size, sex, reproductive status (i.e. gravid vs. non-gravid), presence and state of injuries, and the presence of food affect the occurrence of behavioural displays in a capture situation within and among four free-ranging populations of dice snakes, Natrix tessellata (Colubridae). Our study shows that dice snakes regularly hiss, discharge their cloacal glands, and coat themselves in musk when captured, while other behaviours were displayed only occasionally. Our study corroborates previous findings of local differentiation in snake behaviour, especially the case of supposed Batesian mimicry in dice snakes. In three of four localities where the dice snake lives in proximity or in sympatry with nose-horned vipers, they display fake striking, with additional head flattening as opposed to the viper-free locality. Larger snakes exhibit a wider array of antipredator behaviours, which commonly include musking and hissing. Expectedly, warmer snakes were more likely to display vigorous antipredator
behaviours such as struggling and striking. Injured snakes (a possible measure of a previous exposure to predation) displayed fewer behaviours and musked and hissed less. We call into question the analysis of isolated antipredator behavioural displays, and encourage using entire behavioural sequences in order to understand the complexity of antipredator behaviour.
PB  - New York: Springer Nature
T2  - Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
T1  - A dicey situation: capture behaviours in free‑ranging dice snakes
IS  - 5
VL  - 77
DO  - 10.1007/s00265-023-03323-9
SP  - 48
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Bjelica, Vukašin and Anđelković, Marko and Lakušić, Margareta and Maričić, Marko and Arsovski, Dragan and Tomović, Ljiljana and Golubović, Ana",
year = "2023",
abstract = "When captured by a predator, the prey’s options for escape decrease dramatically; however, some species, such as dice snakes, display a wide variety of behaviours in order to escape. We explored how factors such as locality, body temperature, body size, sex, reproductive status (i.e. gravid vs. non-gravid), presence and state of injuries, and the presence of food affect the occurrence of behavioural displays in a capture situation within and among four free-ranging populations of dice snakes, Natrix tessellata (Colubridae). Our study shows that dice snakes regularly hiss, discharge their cloacal glands, and coat themselves in musk when captured, while other behaviours were displayed only occasionally. Our study corroborates previous findings of local differentiation in snake behaviour, especially the case of supposed Batesian mimicry in dice snakes. In three of four localities where the dice snake lives in proximity or in sympatry with nose-horned vipers, they display fake striking, with additional head flattening as opposed to the viper-free locality. Larger snakes exhibit a wider array of antipredator behaviours, which commonly include musking and hissing. Expectedly, warmer snakes were more likely to display vigorous antipredator
behaviours such as struggling and striking. Injured snakes (a possible measure of a previous exposure to predation) displayed fewer behaviours and musked and hissed less. We call into question the analysis of isolated antipredator behavioural displays, and encourage using entire behavioural sequences in order to understand the complexity of antipredator behaviour.",
publisher = "New York: Springer Nature",
journal = "Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology",
title = "A dicey situation: capture behaviours in free‑ranging dice snakes",
number = "5",
volume = "77",
doi = "10.1007/s00265-023-03323-9",
pages = "48"
}

Bjelica, V., Anđelković, M., Lakušić, M., Maričić, M., Arsovski, D., Tomović, L.,& Golubović, A.. (2023). A dicey situation: capture behaviours in free‑ranging dice snakes. in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
New York: Springer Nature., 77(5), 48.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03323-9

Bjelica V, Anđelković M, Lakušić M, Maričić M, Arsovski D, Tomović L, Golubović A. A dicey situation: capture behaviours in free‑ranging dice snakes. in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 2023;77(5):48.
doi:10.1007/s00265-023-03323-9 .

Bjelica, Vukašin, Anđelković, Marko, Lakušić, Margareta, Maričić, Marko, Arsovski, Dragan, Tomović, Ljiljana, Golubović, Ana, "A dicey situation: capture behaviours in free‑ranging dice snakes" in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 77, no. 5 (2023):48,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-023-03323-9 . .