Flying Snake 95, Trial 618

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Undulation propels gliding in flying snakes, enabling them to soar with ease. Researchers Isaac J. Yeaton, Shane D. Ross, Grant A. Baumgardner, and John J. Socha reveal the secrets of this remarkable ability in their groundbreaking study published in Nature (Yeaton et al., 2020). The reconstructed wing-body of C. paradisi snake 95, captured during indoor glide experiments, showcases its impressive gliding skills. Weighing a mere 37.3 grams and measuring 64.4 centimeters in snout-vent length, Snake 95 was the lightest individual tested. As it glided through the arena, its time-varying body posture was visualized, providing valuable insights into its movement patterns. According to the analysis presented in the main text, this trial exhibited the following average spatial and temporal wave characteristics: undulation frequency of 1.33 Hz, number of spatial periods of bending at 1.07, horizontal wave amplitude of 112°, vertical wave amplitude of 28°, and dorsoventral bending angle of −20°.