The Vitals of Venom

David A. Wooten

Bio Dept., Washtenaw Community College

dwooten@wccnet.edu

Venom

http://www.mzephotos.com/gallery/spiders.html

Poisonous Animals

Poison Dart Frogs • Poisonous due to batrachotoxins found

in skin

Phyllobates terribilis

Pitohui • Poisonous due to batrachotoxins found

on feathers and skin

• Rhabdophis tigrinus – Japan (Yamakagashi)

– passed onto offspring!!!

African Crested Rat (Lophiomys imhausi)

• poisonous mammal

• toxins from tree bark; rubs into fur

• perforated hairs absorb poisonous saliva!

Solenodon paradoxus

Hemotoxin Neurotoxin Myotoxin Cardiotoxin Combinations

VENOM SUBUNITS

Hemotoxin Neurotoxin

VENOM

Historical Perspective...

Modern Understanding...

Accessory Glands

Function of venom...

• incapacitate prey

• locate prey

• pre-digestion

• defense

• reproduction?

Emerald Jewel Wasp (Ampulex compressa)

Why not everyone?

milked

unmilked

Irukandji (Carukia barnesi)

Conus • conotoxins block

Ca+2, Na+, K+

channels

• hundreds of

peptides unique

to each sp.!

Hymenoptera Venom

Scorpion Venom

(Lace Weaver Spider)

(Sydney Funnel-Web)

(House Spider)

(Tarantula)

(Wolf Spider)

Heloderma

Accessory Gland

Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus)

Venom Ontogeny

The Venom “Cure”

*appreciation is given to the Great Lakes Zoological Society and the associated World of Discovery Center (Ann Arbor), as well as

Kensington Nature Center (Milford) for providing live specimens