Adaptations for Detecting Prey

How do some snakes detect warm-blooded prey?

Snakes in the families Crotalidae and Boidae have pit organs that detect infrared radiation (heat) from prey, allowing accurate strikes even at night.

How do tube-nosed seabirds locate food in the open ocean?

They detect odors such as dimethyl sulfide (DMS) from krill and phytoplankton.

Experiments with DMS slicks showed seabirds are strongly attracted to these scents.

How does the duck-billed platypus detect prey?

The platypus has electroreceptors and mechanoreceptors on its bill.

It hunts in murky water with eyes and ears closed, detecting electrical signals and water movements from hidden prey.

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