Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

I don't usually visit this forum, but have been intrigued by BGF's postings on colubrid venom as of late.

First, where can I find a copy of BGF's paper? I've been unable to find the link here on Kingsnake, although I've read numerous threads pertaining to it.

Without reading the paper (and maybe my questions are answered in it), can anyone give me more information as to the "status" of the following colubrid groups, in terms of venom? I know that all three groups are primarily non-constrictors, correct? So they should all have a type of venom possession and delivery? Is there any information available as to their potential to cause human irritation or injury?

Opheodrys
Drymobius
Thamnophis

I know that Thamnophis has been described as "mildly venomous". What exactly does this mean? Are garters unable to deliver the venom they possess, or is it simply a mild venom? I apologize, as I know next to nothing about the workings of venom in snakes. I've simply found this topic to be really fascinating for me recently.

On a semi-related note, are Opheodrys aestivus and O. vernalis the only members of the Opheodrys group? What features set them apart from some of the other similar Colubrid groups?

Thanks for any info, and sorry for my ignorance...
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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

My Growing Zoo:

1.0 Husband (Byron) ^_^
0.1 black cat (Shade)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Zia)
1.2 Cockatoo cichlids (A. cacatuoides yellow-gold)
1.1 WC Cockatoo cichlids (A. cacatuoides blue Peru)
3.3 Pygmy corydoras (C. pygmaeus)
2.0 Endlers' Livebearers (P. sp. Endlers)

Hi,

sorry, I can't help you with the toxins, but I guess you'll find the regarded paper at Bryan's website http://www.venomdoc.com/ (see the Publication section) and you perhaps like to visit Wolfgang Wuster's page (http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/), too. Both are working on the identification of venoms besides other things...

Hope it helped a bit.

Cheers,
Wulf
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http://www.leiopython.de - the white-lipped python site -
http://www.herpers-digest.com - herp related eBooks search -

Bryan Fry has his own definition of venom that is not generally accepted by other scientists. Most biologists call these compounds toxins, not venom, because venom has to have a delivery system. Toxin does not. Using Fry's definition of venom, we will have to call plants that produce toxins "venomous." Poison oak and poison ivy would have to be renamed "venom" oak and "venom" ivy if we subscribe to the new redefinition of "venom."