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RE: rear fanged question
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Anonymous post on September 29, 2000
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American garters (Thamnophis) are not rear fanged. The so called 'indonesian' garters (Xenochrophis/Natrix) have enlarged rear teeth and toxic saliva but not true rear fangs. There is an african opisthoglyph which is also called a 'garter' that is rearfanged and venomous.
Chad :)
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RE: rear fanged question
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by GREGLONGHURST on September 29, 2000
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The American Garters,(Thamnophis) are evolving toward having rear fangs & venom. The teeth in the top rear are enlarged. This is probably due to their diet of amphibians such as toads which inflate themselves when being swallowed. I have read seemingly accurate accounts of people showing more than normal reaction to being bitten by Thamnophis. The saliva is probably slightly toxic. All of the above is also true of genus Heterodon, the Hognosed Snakes, which also prey upon toads.
~~Greg~~
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RE: rear fanged question
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Anonymous post on October 11, 2000
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Keep in mind that toxic doesn't necessarily mean an evolutionary prelude to venomous,
Human saliva injected subcutaneously in the dorsum of the hand can produce local pain, erythema and edema leading to marked swelling accompanied by restriction of function (Kardong, Stough, et al., 1989) "Some components of human saliva are toxic and exhibit a notable LD50" (Kardong, Bonilla et al., 1971
I wouldn't label the human race as being venomous or on the road to being venomous.... Just because something is toxic doesn't give it the same role as a venom.
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RE: rear fanged question
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by Buzztail1 on October 11, 2000
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This sounds like a lead in to a mother-in-law joke...venomous humans. It seems like we are finding that everything that has previously been considered nonvenomous has some sort of subcutaneous effect. Or are humans as a race becoming more sensitive? Karl
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