More than 100,000 species of animals have evolved to produce venom ,the glands to secrete it and the apparatus to do so.Certain invertebrates and vertebrates produce venomIt is believed that there are 2,00,00,000(20 m) kinds of animal toxins.But only up to 10,000 kinds are known and 1000 in detailEvery venom is not lethal.

INVERTEBRATES

Many Invertebrates produce poison.E.g: caterpillars,cone shells, physalia, blue ringed octopus, jellyfish, sea cucumber, star fish, spiders, scorpions, ants, bees, wasps and centipedes.

1. CATERPILLARSMany secrete poisonous liquidCauses eye inflammation and irritatiin to mucous membranes.

2.CONE SHELLS

Marine shells of genus ConusVenom produced in long tubular ductVenom paralyses the prey.Venom composes peptide toxins.Elicit behavioral and physiological

responses affecting various ion channels in the body

Cone shell

3.PHYSALIAColonial coelenterate armed with nematocysts.

They contain mixture of phenols and proteins

It causes respiratory distress.Sting is dangerous to children, asthmatics and allergic persons.

Physalia

4.BLUE- RINGED OCTOPUSSmall animal whose venom is present in its saliva

Venom is produced by a pair of glands.Its bite is painless, but releases neuromuscular paralyzing

venom.Victims suffer numbness and paralysis later

Death is usually of respiratory failure so victim must be saved

before cyanosis

Blue Ringed Octopus

5. BOX JELLYFISH

Scientific name: ChironexVenom is cardio toxic, neurotoxic and highly dermatonecrotic.If injected, venom gets easily absorbed into the circulatory system and causes severe pain.While injecting, the tentacles adhere to the victim’s body, so, any attempt to dislodge them would only worsen the sting and thus greater injury occurs.Severe sting results in necrosis of that area.

Box jellyfish

6666. SEA CUCUMBERSThey possess a vivid organ called Cuiverian organIt contain toxins which are usually expelled through evisceration.Inside water, this organ splits into sticky threads that adhere to the victim’s or enemy’s body.Its venom weakens the muscles.The venom is very strong so that many aboriginals of South Pacific Islands are known to use this viscera to poison fishAlso if these Cuiverian tubules gets in contact with eyes, it leads to permanent blindness.

777 77. STARFISH

Starfish possess venomous skin that covers sharp spines which when gets into contact with any wound, can cause swelling and nausea

Starfish

8. SPIDERS

Spider venom usually cause necrotic wounds, in some cases, death.Four species of spiders have potentially lethal bites.The venom is either neurotoxic, or necrotic.The venom of the famous Black Widow Spider contains latrotoxins which promotes the release of acetylcholine that results in muscular contractions.It leads to abdominal pain and affects respiration.The venom of Australian Funnel-web spider and Mouse spider results in excessive neural activity.That of Brazilian wandering Spider contains high level of serotonin.Spiders of family Sicariidae have necrotic venom

Black Widow Spider

Australian Funnelweb Spider

Brazilian Wandering Spider

9. SCORPIONS All scorpion species are poisonous .It’s venom is formed of neurotoxins, histamine, serotonin, enzymes and enzyme inhibitors.Local reaction of sting is intense pain and slowly gaining numbness, tenderness.Some species inject large amount of venom. they cause excessive salivation, nausea, fever or even coma.Heart failure or respiratory failure can become lethal.

Scorpion

10. ANTS Some ant species also have powerful sting at the tip of their abdomen.Army ants, driver ants and Australian Bulldog ants cause very painful woundsFire ant’s sting creates a pus filled bump which is prone into further infections.Rash, swelling, wheezing etc are local reactions but shock, cardiac arrest and even death may occur to allergic persons.

Fire ant

Driver ant

11. HONEY BEEBee poison is known as apitoxinOnly worker bees sting and only for defense.It may cause a sharp pain, reddening or swelling of that area.But if the sting gets into the blood vessels especially of face or neck, poisoning occurs.Vomiting, increased heart frequency are the reactions of poisoning.

Honey bee

12. WASPSmany wasp species have powerful venom.The sting apparatus of a wasp includes a venom sac and an egg laying tube which acts like a hypodermic syringe.Wasp venom contains norepinephrine and hyaluronidase.Norepinephrine stops blood flowHyaluronidase allow membrane degrading elements to move into cells and leads to swelling and rednessDeath may cause to allergic persons

wasp

13. CENTIPEDE scientific name: ScolopendraIts venom contains acetylcholine, histamine, serotonin.Poisoning always follows a local sharp pain, swelling, chills, fever etc..

Scolopendra

VERTEBRATESThe following vertebrates are venomous/poisonous:

FISHLion fishScorpion fishSting raysStone fishAMPHIBIANSPoison dart frogssalamanderREPTILESSnakesGila monsterMAMMALSPlatypussoricids

FISHES LION FISH• They have venomous dorsal fins that can

puncture wounds.• Victim feels strong pain, rapid swelling,

nausea, breathing difficulties , convulsions or even paralysis.

• The venom remains active even for days, so, discarded spines are too to be take care of.

SCORPION FISH• also have variable number of dorsal spines

carrying venom glands.• spines are covered with thick skin.• it usually gives mild stings but some species

can cause severe pain

Giant sea scorpion

Lion fish

STING RAYS• sting rays have terminally tapering tails armed

with saw edged venomous spines.• Its sting cause severe bleeding and intense

pain that may last for months with large swellings.

• Death may occur if a person is stabbed on chest or abdomen.

The tail of Stingray

STONE FISH• It is the most venomous fish known to man.• Thirteen dorsal spines are seen projecting from

venom glands on its back.• When pressure is applied on the gland, venom is

expelled out.• The sting causes intense pain and swelling.• Severity depends on the number and degree of

penetration of spines

Stone Fish

AMPHIBIANS

POISON DART FROGS• These live in Central and South America• Their skin glands produce one of the most

poisonous toxin in the world.• The main toxin is called batrachotoxin.• It is a nerve poison affecting the transmission

of nerve impulses and hence heart may stop functioning.

SALAMANDERS• they secrete poisonous liquid

containing the toxin salamandrin when threatened or teased.

• It is a strong neurotoxin that elicits convulsions.

Orange blue poison dart frog

Salamander

REPTILES1. SNAKES• They are the most popular venomous creatures.• Their venom is the highly modified saliva produced by labial

glands.• They are channeled through a fang that injects the venom just

like a hypodermic syringe.• Snake venom contains proteins and enzymes.• There are three types of venom here: Haemotoxic Neurotoxic cytotoxic

PROTEROGLYPHOUS SNAKES• Their venom is neurotoxic in action..• The immediate effect is respiratory

paralysis.• The bite of any proteroglyphous snake

is deadly.• E,g. bungarus, cobra VIPER• Viper venom is haemotoxic.• It acts on the circulatory system and

coagulates the blood.• The pain at the wound is very intense.

Followed by swelling vomiting or even diarrhoea

• African vipers cause immediate fatal bites.

African bush Viper

Russell’s Viper

GILA MONSTER

• Scientific name: Heloderma suspectum• Its bite is not much fatal but causes severe pain.• They have large and grooved teeth which ensures the entry of

venom to the victim’s wound..• Its venom can be as toxic as that of a Diamondback

Rattlesnake, but the amount of venom is small in heloderma.• Its venom can stabilize blood sugar levels

Gila monster

MAMMALSPLATYPUS• Duck-billed platypus have calcaneal spurs on their hind limbs

through which venom is delivered.• Venom is produced in crural glands.• Only male platypus is venomous• Its venom causes intense pain and some tissue damage.• It may also cause paralysis and the victim may not be able to

move its limbs for days. SORICIDAE• They are poisonous mammals that are related to mole. • Only three species are poisonous they are:N.American Blarina

brevicula and the European Neamys anomalus Neomys fodiens

• Their poison is on their front teeth and flows out by bite which can cause paralysis or even death to small organisms.it may cause only a small inflammation in human.

Duck billed platypus