Fig 1.
The robotic rattlesnake and experimental set-up.
(A) Diagram of the 3D-printed robot rattlesnake. (B-D) Behavioral responses of a collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) during each of the three trial types. In all trials, a food reward was placed in the enclosure to encourage approach. (B) The test individual was released in the enclosure after the food reward was placed in the enclosure. (C) The robot rattlesnake was placed in the vicinity of the food reward, but the rattle was not triggered when the animal approached the food or the model. (D) The robot rattlesnake was placed in the vicinity of the food reward and the rattle was triggered with the remote control when the animal approached the food or the model.
Table 1.
Behavioral scale used to score the behavioral response of animals during trials.
Fig 2.
Phylogenetic tree showing the relationship between all species tested for this study.
The phylogenetic tree was built using data from the Open Tree of Life. The distribution of species relative to rattlesnake distribution (allopatric/sympatric) is depicted for each species at the end of each branch. Animal silhouettes retrieved from phylopic.org.
Fig 3.
The rattlesnake defensive display acts as a deterrent.
Statistical significance between groups is denoted by the letter on top of each bar. (A) Behavioral counts per trial type. (B) Behavioral responses exhibited by allopatric species for each trial type. (C) Behavioral responses exhibited by sympatric species for each trial type.
Fig 4.
Sympatric species are more sensitive to the rattle than allopatric species.
*** denotes statistical significance while n.s denotes non-significance. (A) Behavior counts per species distribution relative to rattlesnake (allopatric or sympatric) per trial type. (B) Behavioral response exhibited by allopatric and sympatric species for each trial type.