Comment on snek id

• Communist@lemmy.ml ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  It’s not even an indicator, there’s places where the opposite is true, this is like the myth of the vertical slit pupils meaning they’re venomous, there’s no actual correlation, this just coincidentally works in areas with few snake species, but you’d have to know that ahead of time so this is practically completely useless.

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  • remotelove@lemmy.ca ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    This doesn’t look local, and it seems reviewed: medlineplus.gov/ency/presentations/100138_3.htm

    I legitimately want to understand how this information is propagating and why. Your explanation seems correct, but given the above link, there may be more to this problem.

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    • Communist@lemmy.ml ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I can’t see the paper on that page, just the image, is there more to it than just the image and the claim?

      What snakes have they checked?

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      • remotelove@lemmy.ca ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        There isn’t much more than the pictures, title and review date/information.

        I mentioned in another comment that I am just going to write the reviewer of that page and see what the specifics are and get proper context.

        It’s not about who is right or wrong now. (You seem to know a lot more about snakes or you are a better rapid-researcher than I, at least.) If I can track this down and get a better review of stuff that is posted as a “government reference”, more people could benefit from that.

        In the past, I have had great success in reaching out to subject experts in different fields, so this should be kinda easy. I am also not shy, so that helps.

        Side note: If you want to have an argument about chameleons, I am absolutely the person to have one with. ;)

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    • DrRatso@lemmy.ml ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I legitimately want to understand how this information is propagating and why. Your explanation seems correct, but given the above link, there may be more to this problem. Honestly, I am just confused now.

      Its the previous thing of it, potentially, being true somewhere and then also just it sounds like it could be true. TikTok is full of stuff like this, that sounds true enough and is presented from somewhat of an authority angle, with confidence. Too often I get someone to send me a tiktok of some medical fact like: “is this true?”. And 9/10 it is not.

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      • Flatworm7591@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        It holds true enough for North America, but not in other parts of the world, e.g. Africa. So yes, it should have a disclaimer.

        This is obviously not true as many of the dangerous snakes in Southern Africa have paired subcaudal scales including the Black Mamba, Green Mamba, Cape Cobra, Vine Snake, Boomslang and Puff Adder to name a few.

        Source: africansnakebiteinstitute.com/…/harmless-vs-venom…

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      • remotelove@lemmy.ca ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Thankfully, I avoid short-form videos like the plague.

        The link I shared was from a government site but with limited information attached. It also appeared to be reviewed on a regular basis.

        Hell, I am just going to write the creators of that page and get some verification.

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• jettrscga@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  This seems like a situation where being untrue in just one case makes the fact totally useless.

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  • remotelove@lemmy.ca ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Yes? In another comment here, I posted a link from a government site that seemed to have a legitimate review. (That doesn’t mean it’s fact, of course.)

    I am all about getting to the bottom of myths, actually.

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