Angel Island Rattlesnake (Crotalus angelensis) from Isla Ángel de la Guarda, Baja California, Mexico. (Image Credit: Jacob Loyacano)NewsletterSign up for our email newsletter for the latest science newsEncountering 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.”Read More: 10 of the World’s Deadliest SnakesThe Evolution of VenomFor this study, researchers camped along the beaches of 11 uninhabited islands in the Gulf of California. Once the sun set and temperatures cooled down, they combed the islands and collected venom from 83 different rattlesnakes.After analyzing the venom, they discovered some surprising results. “The Baja California islands are pristine and largely untouched by human activity, making them an extraordinary place to study evolutionary processes in isolation,” says doctoral student Samuel Hirst in the press release. “We initially hypothesized that larger islands, which support greater biodiversity and prey diversity, would be associated with more complex venoms, which are better suited for more diverse prey. However, we found the opposite pattern.”As it turns out, rattlesnakes that lived on the islands with the most space and the most competition had evolved a more specialized type of venom. This simpler venom contained fewer and more focused toxin families, suggesting that these rattlesnakes had evolved to effectively target extremely specific prey.The result surprised researchers and challenged long-standing beliefs about how the presence of other species can influence evolution. It was expected that rattlesnakes living alongside more species would have developed a venom that enables them to hunt a wider range of prey. However, the rattlesnakes studied did the opposite and adapted to competition by honing their venom and becoming the best hunters for their chosen type of prey.This evolutionary change offers a new understanding of how resilient and adaptable traits can be in an ever-changing environment.Changing EnvironmentsIn a world plagued by climate change, environments are constantly changing. Many of these changes are caused by humans, and not only affect species’ environments but can also alter them on the biological and molecular level. This type of research provides a rare glimpse into some of the evolutionary effects of rapid shifts in biodiversity. It also highlights the resilience of certain species and how they can evolve to survive even when their environments change quickly and drastically. Venom, in particular, is vitally important for many aspects of a rattlesnake’s livelihood, including survival, hunting, and reproduction. Due to its importance, it is incredibly valuable to help scientists understand broader evolutionary trends across different species.The team collected a large amount of data thanks to their rattlesnake venom, and hopes to continue exploring shifts in island biodiversity and the subsequent evolutionary changes in the animals that live there.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:As the marketing coordinator at Discover Magazine, Stephanie Edwards interacts with readers across Discover's social media channels and writes digital content. Offline, she is a contract lecturer in English & Cultural Studies at Lakehead University, teaching courses on everything from professional communication to Taylor Swift, and received her graduate degrees in the same department from McMaster University. You can find more of her science writing in Lab Manager and her short fiction in anthologies and literary magazine across the horror genre.1 free article leftWant More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/monthSubscribeAlready a subscriber?Register or Log In1 free articleSubscribeWant more?Keep reading for as low as $1.99!SubscribeAlready a subscriber?Register or Log In