Dear all
I am currently working on my Undergraduate dissertation at Bangor University, under the supervision of Dr Wolfgang Wuster. My dissertation is titled: Defensive Snake Venom? A survey of pain in snakebite patients.
My research involves publicly surveying herpetologists from around the globe who have been bittern from both front-fanged and rear-fanged species either in captivity or the field. In the aim to gain a greater understanding of defensive selective pressures in the evolution of snake venom, as this remains largely unstudied.
This research is being carried out through the use of a survey as pain is difficult to measure in lab animals, but people can effectively communicate their experiences. This survey contains questions asking: about the species you have been bitten by and at what time and intensity the pain was felt. The results from the survey will be used to establish whether selection for a defensive function for venom is widespread and important in snakes, or whether it is restricted to a few species or whether evidence for selection for a defensive function is lacking altogether in snakes.
-How to Help-
Any input towards my research will be greatly appreciated and there are a couple ways to help out:
1) If you have experienced a snakebite, please read and fill in the survey from the link provided.
2) If you haven’t experienced a snakebite, anywhere you share this survey or send it to friends who have, it will be very helpful.
The Survey:
https://goo.gl/forms/f3nmk1OoVNEVcWRP2
Please message me on Facebook or e-mail me at:
bsu4b3@bangor.ac.uk, with any queries you may have or feel free to comment below to get a discussion going.
Thank You
Harry Ward-Smith
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