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stormwyrm writes:

The BBC reports that while there has been a myth that the constricting snakes kill their prey by suffocating them, the snakes actually kill their prey by cutting off blood supply to major organs. While the constriction might indeed restrict breathing, incapacitation comes about much more rapidly as the constriction obstructs blood circulation to important organs such as the heart and brain.

Researchers took measurements - including blood pressure and heart activity - from anaesthetised rats gripped by the snakes.

This showed that the lethal grip restricted blood flow severely enough to cut off the blood flow supplying oxygen to its vital organs.

The findings are published in the Journal of Experimental Biology (paywalled link to article added).

This "circulatory arrest", the scientists say, is a much more efficient, rapid and definite way of finishing off prey than expected.

More coverage of these findings is available from phys.org and Discovery.

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