Claim CB341:
Venomous snakes have hollow fangs and venom glands. Evolution would
have had to produce both of these innovations together, since either would
be pointless without the other.
Response:
- Venom is not pointless without hollow fangs. Gila monsters have venom
glands without hollow fangs. Other venomous snakes have furrowed
fangs. These show plausible intermediate forms to hollow-fanged
venomous snakes:
- A nonvenomous snake already has teeth which break the skin of its
victim.
- Poisonous saliva becomes advantageous to some snakes because it
can get into the victim and kill it faster.
- Furrowed fangs allow the venom to be concentrated in the prey.
- The furrows gradually become enclosed, resulting in hollow fangs.
created 2003-4-9
