Why is the venom delivery of many vine snakes considered mild or inefficient against humans?
Answer
They are rear-fanged with grooved teeth that require a sustained grip
Many vine snakes are opisthoglyphous, meaning they have fangs positioned toward the back of the upper jaw that are grooved rather than hollow. Because the venom must drip down these grooves into a wound, the snake must maintain a sustained grip and chew on its victim to deliver an effective dose. Defensive bites against humans are often ineffective because the snake cannot maintain this sustained grip if the human pulls away quickly.
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