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RE: venomous snakes
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by Cro on July 17, 2008
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Christopher, the problem is with the definition "same type of venom."
Each type of snake has a different type of venom that is specific to that type of snake, and actually, it is more complicated than that, as different populations of the same type of snake can have very different venoms.
Venoms are made up of many toxins, so broad definitions like Hemotoxic or Neurotoxic really are not of much use.
It is kind of like saying guns are dangerous. However, there are many differences between guns. A .22 bullet is way different than a 12 guage shotgun shell, in the damage it can do, but both are still bullets or shells.
Hope this helps.
Best Regards John Z
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RE: venomous snakes
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by FLherp on July 17, 2008
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The venom is only the same in a general, very general, sense. Venom is not a simple substance, it contains toxins, co-factors, enzymes, non-enzymatic proteins, metals, etc. Venom varies between genera, species, ontologically, geographically, as well. There are other sources of variation beyond these.
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RE: venomous snakes
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by FSB on July 18, 2008
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There are just so many variables in regards to snakebite that it's really almost of a matter of luck as to how bad given a bite is. To elaborate on John Z.'s apt firearm analogy, a .22 straight through the heart is more likely to be fatal than a shotgun blast to the foot, though the 12-gauge is a far more powerful weapon. Similarly, a good bite with both fangs that hits a blood vessel is going to be far more dangerous than a glancing blow, say to the joint of your thumb, where there is not much opportunity for deep penetration. Toxicity of venom is also affected by the health of the snake, or how well-fed it is. In my own tests with live mice and a young northern blacktailed rattlesnake (Crotalus m. molossus) the "departure times" for rodents of the same weight varied considerably at different times, from nearly instantaneous to several minutes.
Actually, I am wondering if anyone knows of formal studies to determine the relationship between prey and toxicity or constituency of venom, and whether this could be in part responsible for the varying types of venom found in different populations of the same species? What got me wondering this is the well-established fact that food (a type of ant) is responsible for the toxicity of the skin secretions of dendrobatid frogs. Obviously, food is the raw material from which venom, largely composed of proteins and enzymes, is manufactured, so it seems reasonable to expect that different types of food must have an effect on the quality of venom.
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