Quasi-steady aerodynamic theory under-predicts glide performance in flying snakes.

Flying snakes (genus Chrysopelea) glide without the use of wings. Instead, they splay their ribs and undulate through the air. A snake's ability to glide depends on how well its morphing wing-body produces lift and drag forces.

Global dynamics of non-equilibrium gliding in animals.

Gliding flight-moving horizontally downward through the air without power-has evolved in a broad diversity of taxa and serves numerous ecologically relevant functions such as predator escape, expanding foraging locations, and finding mates, and has been suggested as an evolutionary pathway to powered flight. Historically, gliding has been conceptualized using the idealized conditions of equilibrium, in which the net aerodynamic force on the glider balances its weight. While this assumption is appealing for its simplicity, recent studies of glide trajectories have shown that equilibrium gliding is not the norm for most species.