Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just now watching a Discovery channel reptile show, a seasnake researcher articulated the idea that not all of them are venomous...wazzup wid dat?
In the same show was a segment about a venomous keeper in Florida who was bitten by a copperhead, a rattler and his own gabby within the time frame of a couple months...Jason somebody...Wazzup wid dat?
Another topic therein was about the researcher who was bitten at La Selva by a large Fer-de-lance...They used and consequently promoted the "Extractor"...Which I thought was kinda cool but questionable (?)...The doctors sure butchered up her leg muscles though, huh?
Ah well, I like snake shows anyway.

lol. Great post.

There is a seasnake that eats nothing but fish eggs and has a degenerated venom apparatus. The name, of course, escapes me. And I heard about that guy who got bit, unless there were two of them.

There are two species, Aipysurus eydouxii (marbled seasnake) and Emydocephalus annulatus (turtle-head seasnake). Both feed on fish eggs and as such have smaller fangs and atrophied glands (just as our appendix is an atrophied second stomach). They are still elapids, still have fangs and still have venom glands but don't actively use them.

Cheers
BGF
Venom & Toxin Database

All sea snakes are Elapids but those specialised to purely fish egg feeders will have VASTLLY reduced venom apperatus. Whether they are reduced beyond use I dont know but in a few hundred years my guess is that they will be. Still wouldn't like to risk it though

Cheers, Lee.

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