Encountering rattlesnake venom is something many of us would prefer to avoid. But for a research team from the University of South Florida, this venom may hold the key to species evolution and protection.
A new study, published in Evolution, has revealed that island rattlesnakes in the Gulf of California adapt their venom depending on their environment and its biodiversity. This discovery comes as a surprise and helps provide new insights into how animals evolve in changing environments.
“This isn’t just about rattlesnakes,” says Mark Margres, assistant professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida, in a press release. “It’s about understanding the fundamental ways life evolves when isolation and biodiversity start to shift.”
