Reptile & Amphibian Forums

From an evolutionary standpoint, what function does venom serve in hydrodynastes?

There is the one paper comparing the LD50(mice) of FWC venom with a certain crotalid, but as BGF has stated many times, that crotalid venom is relatively weak, and FWC's don't produce anywhere near the amount a rattlesnake produces, and has far less efficient delivery means.

So what good is it?

I suspect that while "drop for drop" FWC venom has the same LD50 as the rattlesnake (was it western or eastern diamondback?), it is comprised of different constituents.

If that is so, then it seems to reason that FWC venom evovled to have a different effect.

Considering their feeding habits, and the prey they feed up in their natural habitat, I don't see much benefit to having such weak venom. Maybe it has a strong effect on their typical prey animals that is not measurable by LD50 tests done on lab mice?

> From an evolutionary standpoint, what function does venom serve in hydrodynastes?

Even though it may not affect humans appreciably under normal circumstances, the effect on its native prey item may be quite different. Even if not necessarily lethal, it incapacitates the prey item then that gives the snake just that much more of an edge.

> I suspect that while "drop for drop" FWC venom has the same LD50 as the rattlesnake (was it western or eastern diamondback?), it is comprised of different constituents.

More on that soon. Watch this space

Cheers
BGF

Yeah, yeah, I've heard that before!

Hey, I don't suppose you're coming to the Daytona show this year? They're going to have venomous for the first time.

Yeah yeah, I know. However, the first paper is in press right now and the second goes into for consideration in about a week.

No, I'm not going to be at Daytona. Too bad, it would have been fun to be there for the inagural venom show. Oh well.

Cheers
BGF