this post was submitted on 17 Dec 2025
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[–] hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone 25 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Yet another example of why people need to learn to use the word "mammal" instead of "animal" when they mean "mammal".

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Isn't is also a generalisation rather than a rule?

[–] Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

But the Arabian sand boa is well known to be the most predatory of snakes:

ETA: This is a joke. I don't think there is a "most predatory snake" (though I guess you could argue that egg-eaters are least predatory?). I just like their goofy faces.

[–] hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Those eyes are not forward-facing in the same way our eyes, or the eyes of a wolf, are forward-facing. And I said that the statement is mammal-centric, not that it can never be true for any other animals than mammals.

[–] Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Sorry, it was a joke to show off a goofy-looking snake. I'm pretty sure their eyes are actually positioned like that because they are fossorial, I don't think snakes rely on their eyesight much at all.

[–] hungryphrog@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 months ago

Well, seeing this goober has been delightful. Silly looking creature.

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Birds of prey have entered the chat.

[–] FishFace@piefed.social 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

They are significantly more forward-facing than the eyes of, say, a pigeon.

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

My point is that they're entirely forward facing. Calling it a mammal rule isn't really accurate. It's about whether or not the animal needs to judge distance to attack. Sharks use their vision to scan for prey above and below them, but they use their other sense to attack. Hawks and cats have a significantly different sense of vision, but both need to be able to accurately judge distance with their eyes when attacking.

[–] FishFace@piefed.social 1 points 2 months ago

Oh right, I see

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That one looks like it's both. Not sure their eyes can turn that far to the sides, but the sockets seem to be positioned for both good focus ahead and a wide peripheral.

[–] pjwestin@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

It just looks that way because they've got very narrow heads. Its much clearer on owls, which have very broad faces, that birds of prey have fully forward facing eyes.