All,
Perhaps the reason why a conotoxin is more potent in the teeth than
when it is in the venom sac has to do with a reaction with a component
in seawater. While a conotoxin remains in the venom sac of a particular
species, it has no effect on the animal carrying it; however, if that
animal has the same conotoxin injected into its tissues it can die.
I've seen Conus textile envenomize and kill each other in an aquarium.
A similar phenomenon may occur with cowfish and boxfish. These fish
have glands that can secrete toxins. Under normal conditions, the fish
do not suffer from their own toxicity. However, when one of these
fishes is stressed, the poisons it releases are very potent and can even
kill the fish that secreted them if it does not quickly move away from
its chemical cloud. I've observed this from collecting Ostracion
meleagris and Lactoria fornasini.
Regards,
Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Don Barclay
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 3:17 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: conus toxin
The toxin will still be active in a freshly-dead or frozen
cone snail. Boiling breaks down the venom components.
So, theoretically, you could envenomate yourself, if you
were dissecting the animal or otherwise managed to get
stuck with one of the teeth, or probably if you could get
the venom into a cut. If you've read up on conotoxins
you may already know that the venom in the teeth is
several times as potent as that in the duct or bulb, at
least in several species, and maybe all species. The
researchers are still trying to figure out why this is so,
unless they already did and I didn't hear about it....
Cheers,
Don
----- Original Message -----
From: David Herman
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 5:54 PM
Subject: conus toxin
I've asked this question about conus in the past and never got a
straight
answer. Is it possible to be harmed by the conus toxin while cleaning
dead
conus, if you have a cut or any other method.
David
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