More In This Article The tentacled snake may be the strangest
serpent you've never heard of. So named for the distinctive
appendages that project from its snout, this snake dwells in
rivers and lakes in Southeast Asia, where it feeds on fish.
Scientists have long pondered the purpose of those peculiar
tentacles. Neurobiologist Kenneth C. Catania of Vanderbilt
University decided to investigate. In so doing he discovered
that the snake uses surprisingly sophisticated tactics to catch
fish, which he describes in an article in the April issue of
Scientific American. Watch the snakes in action in the video
below—and see how they exploit neural circuitry in the fish that
usually help the fish avoid predation. What about tentacles? The
video answers that question, too.