Effects of ingesting large prey on the kinematics of rectilinear locomotion in Boa constrictor

Large and stout snakes commonly consume large prey and use rectilinear crawling, yet, whether body wall distention after feeding impairs rectilinear locomotion is poorly understood. After eating large prey (30-37% body mass), all Boa constrictor tested could perform rectilinear locomotion in the region with the food bolus despite a greatly increased distance between the ribs and the ventral skin that likely lengthens muscles relevant to propulsion. Unexpectedly, out of eleven kinematic variables, only two changed significantly (P<0.05) after feeding: cyclic changes in snake height increased by more than 1.5x and the longitudinal movements of ventral skin relative to the skeleton decreased by more than 25%. Additionally, cyclic changes in snake width suggest that the ribs are active and mobile during rectilinear locomotion particularly in fed snakes, but also in unfed snakes. These kinematic changes suggest that rectilinear actuators reorient more vertically and undergo smaller longit..., , , # Effects of ingesting large prey on the kinematics of rectilinear locomotion in *Boa constrictor*

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.hmgqnk9q5](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.hmgqnk9q5)

Corresponding Author: Jarrod Petersen, Brown University, [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])
Principal Investigator: Thomas Roberts, Brown University, [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

## Overview and General Information

This dataset consists of only one type of file which has X and Y marker coordinates obtained from point tracking of light videography. There are at least three trial files per individual (n=6) and sometimes there are more. The \"bc00\" prefix lists the ID number for the snake which can be referenced to the tables in this document and \"PRE\" & \"POST\" refer to the feeding condition (either before or after, respectively). From these coordinates, all of our variables were calculated using simple equations described in the manuscript. Data ...