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Golden Lancehead
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by mgood on January 20, 2003
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Good day; are there any websites with information on the golden lancehead; I understand this animal is very closely related to the Fer-de-lance. Is this correct?
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RE: Golden Lancehead
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by Crotalus64 on January 21, 2003
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They live on an island off the cost of Brazil. There are three sexes of the golden lancehead, male, female, and third sex that has both male and female sex organs. Mark O'Shea has some info on his site
www.markoshea.tv/series1/series01-02.html
more info at: http://www.ccpscience.com/1pend/especies/mohst/mohst.htm
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RE: Golden Lancehead
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by Crotalus64 on January 21, 2003
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Bothrops insularis (golden lancehead) has a very toxic venom, 4-5 times stronger than the Bothrops on the mainland. This is said to be due to a diet of birds, I don't think there is anything there but snakes and birds. 5,000 snakes on a small island. I also remember hearing a story that there is a light house on the island, and people used to live in the light house, until they were all killed by the lanceheads.
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RE: Golden Lancehead
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by mgood on January 21, 2003
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I sure thank You for Your response; I will definately look that page up; I assume from what You are saying that these fellows are possibly aboreal or semi-aboreal with a strong neurotoxin??????? Thank You again
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RE: Golden Lancehead
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by Crotalus64 on January 22, 2003
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they are semi/aboreal. I would think that being in the trees eating birds, a venom with a good amount of neurotoxin would help to kill the pray faster, reducing the chance of the pray falling to the ground. Similar to how tree boas have developed longer teeth to help hold pray up in the tree tops. This also makes me think that they might have a strong strike/hold tendency during predetory strikes, unlike Bothrops asper that tends to strike/release while eating on the ground. Having long fangs would also help hold pray, and would help deliver the hemotoxic properties of the venom deeper into the tissue causing more damage and helping digestion. Sorry for going on and on, but I get very excited over this stuff, in fact I think I'm going to do some info hunting on this snake for myself. I'll let you know where I find good info.
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RE: Golden Lancehead
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by Crotalus64 on January 22, 2003
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I found a few more things, but not much. One site has a few good horror stories about the island they live on. The Brazilian Government requiers that you have antivenom to go to the island. Not much good scientific information though. Anyone want to give me a grant and I'll go study them for you?
http://coloherp.org/cb-news/archive/nature/Paradise.php
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/fieldtales/snakeisland/
Selistre, H. S. Giglio, J. R. 1987. Isolation and characterization
of a thrombin-like enzyme from the venom of the snake Bothrops insularis (Jararaca Ilhoa).
Toxicon 25(11):1135-1144.
Selistre, H. S. Queiroz, L. S., Cunha, O. A. B.,
De-Souza, G. E. P., Giglio, J. R. 1990.
Isolation and characterization of hemorrhagic,
myonecrotic and edema-inducing toxins from Bothrops insularis (jararaca ilhoa) snake venom.
Toxicon 28(3):261-274.
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RE: Golden Lancehead
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by Snakeman1982 on January 23, 2003
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I believe that it was Dr. Brady Barr's National Geographic Explorer special that talked about the lighthouse on the island. He stated that there has only been one inhabitant of the island. He was the lighthouse keeper and he died of snake bite from the golden lancehead. Correct me if you found further information about how many died but I just doubt that a lot of people in a light house would all die from snake bite. Seems logical that the rest would move out if the first half died off.
Also Jeff Corwin and Mark O'Shea both used this island on their shows.
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RE: Golden Lancehead
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by Crotalus64 on January 23, 2003
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"A lighthouse keeper and his family massacred in a nocturnal snake invasion of their isolated cottage home."
From:
http://coloherp.org/cb-news/archive/nature/Paradise.php
But you can't belive everything you read on the internet. Most of the stories about the island have most likley been added onto over the years.
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