Venom Runs Thick in Fish Families, Researchers Learn
By DENISE GRADY
...Although previous researchers estimated that there were about 200 species of venomous fish, Dr. Smith and Ward C. Wheeler, a curator at the museum, recently published a study suggesting at least 1,200. Many carry their venom in spines and barbs, some in fangs. Though the 1,200 species are not new, scientists did not know they were venomous. Now, biologists may need to rethink some of their old ideas...click here for the full story.
[source: The New York Times]
Scientists have discovered 1200 species of venomous fish
Started by
jextract
, Aug 22 2006 09:07 AM
2 replies to this topic
#1
jextract
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Posted 22 August 2006 - 09:07 AM
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#2
Dennis
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Posted 22 August 2006 - 10:25 AM
Thanks for the link. Very interesting article.
DSSW,
Dennis
"Suppose you were an idiot ... And suppose you were a member of Congress ... But I repeat myself." --Mark Twain
Dennis
"Suppose you were an idiot ... And suppose you were a member of Congress ... But I repeat myself." --Mark Twain
#3
Hipshot
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Posted 22 August 2006 - 07:07 PM
A number of years ago, a friend of mine had an aquarium with a lionfish. One evening, while he was cleaning the tank, the lionfish and his finger had a close encounter of the venomous kind.
He immediately called me on the phone (his rationale being that since I'm a marine biologist, I'd know what to do). I told him to stick his finger in the hottest water that he could tolerate, since the lionfish's venom is protein-based, and the heat would break it down. I immediately left for his place, especially since his then wife was 8-months pregnant, and I didn't want her to have to do anything strenous to help him.
When I got there, he was in the bathroom, running hot water over his finger, as I'd told him. When he took his finger out, it was red from the hot water, and there was swelling, but it came to an abrupt end, indicating when the hot water did its job. All was well.
There was a humorous postscript to this story. A couple of weeks later, the lionfish died. We kidded him no end about how he could take the lionfish more than the lionfish could take him.
Rick
He immediately called me on the phone (his rationale being that since I'm a marine biologist, I'd know what to do). I told him to stick his finger in the hottest water that he could tolerate, since the lionfish's venom is protein-based, and the heat would break it down. I immediately left for his place, especially since his then wife was 8-months pregnant, and I didn't want her to have to do anything strenous to help him.
When I got there, he was in the bathroom, running hot water over his finger, as I'd told him. When he took his finger out, it was red from the hot water, and there was swelling, but it came to an abrupt end, indicating when the hot water did its job. All was well.
There was a humorous postscript to this story. A couple of weeks later, the lionfish died. We kidded him no end about how he could take the lionfish more than the lionfish could take him.
Rick
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