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

----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------