Many organisms make use of poisons, either creating them themselves or gathering them from their diet. Here we look at some of the stranger examples, from snakes that steal toxins to spiders that could prevent brain damage in stroke victims. Check out...
1. Blue Ifrits & Poisonous PigeonsBirds are probably not the first creature you would think of as poisonous. There are several birds that carry potentially deadly toxins though - including a poisonous pigeon called the brush bronzewing.
No bird actually produces their own poison - most sift toxins out of their food. There are a couple of other methods - hoopoes maintain a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in their uropygial glands, obtaining their chemical payload from these microorganisms.
These toxins are typically not very dangerous to humans - we don't typically interact with or eat the birds in question. Quails are an exception - they can become toxic during migrations as they eat toxic plants as they go. There's also been a number of poisonings after consuming ruffed grouse - the bird consumes toxic mountain laurel buds when other foods are scarce.
The hunters extract the innards of the larvae, squeezing them directly onto the arrowheads. Alternatively they can be ground into a paste with spit and plant juice to make a toxic glue to coat edges. It takes animals anywhere between a few hours and a few days to succumb. Interestingly the venom has no effect when ingested by mammals - so poisoned animals are still safe to eat.
Palythoa actually has a little bit of Hawaiian mythology, where it was known as "limu make ‘o Hana" or "the deadly seaweed of Hana." Legend has it that a spate of disappearances were attributed to a humpbacked fisherman. When confronted, the hump was revealed to be the mouth of a shark - so the locals killed the fisherman, burned his body and tossed his ashes into a tidepool. The story goes that the tidepool was cursed by the ashes, leading to the growth of toxic "seaweed" that could used to poison spears.
Another example is the Brazilian wandering spider - an arachnid belonging to the Phoneutria (murderess in Greek) genus. Though slower acting, their venom is equally dangerous - and can trigger a long-lasting and painful erection in male victims. The effect is so potent that researchers are trialing it as a kind of super-Viagra!
Not all spider bites are so dangerous or helpful though. The sac spiders (named for silk dens they make) can leave a nasty bite that kills off parts of the skin. Nasty to be sure, but the strange thing here is that at least one variety seems attracted to the scent of petrol. This led to Mazda having to issue a recall in 2014, as the spiders were nesting inside engines and causing damage!
5. A Toxic SharkA long-lived ambush predator and carrion eater, the Greenland shark is toxic when consumed raw - but becomes edible when dried, fermented or boiled. Eating unprepared flesh can induce an effect similar to consuming large quantities of alcohol, and can be fatal to humans and dogs in bulk.
The intoxicative effect is due to high concentrations of urea (toxic to animals, and the namesake of urine) and trimethylamine oxide (to counter the urea) present in the shark. Not only does this combination of chemicals save the shark energy that would be wasted on filtering waste from the blood, it acts as antifreeze and a buoyancy aid!
The fluid released by the arthropod is really quite nasty. Researchers have identified hydrochloric acid and hydrogen cyanide amongst the caustic mixture. It also contains benzoquinones (which can be used as tanning agents) that can discolor the skin.
The secretion can drive off spiders and ants with a combined burning and asphyxiating effect. Fortunately the dosage high enough to be that dangerous to humans. Localized irritation and discoloration (sometimes called millipede burn) are the most common results.
The black lemurs of Madagascar have found a way to exploit this defensive strategy. They find and scare a millipede until it secretes, then rub the fluid over themselves. This acts like a natural pesticide and mosquito repellent - and also intoxicates the lemur!
Native to Japan, these snakes consume toxic toads, and store the poison from their meals in the nuchal glands of the neck. When facing an enemy, the snakes arch their neck to make those glands a prominent target - anything biting them will get a face full of toxins.
Weirdly enough the snake seems to know when it is armed. Researchers found that the snakes would flee if they hadn't eaten toads recently. Eating a toad changed their behavior, and the reptile began to stand it's ground when threatened.
- Birds that harvest poison
- Beetles used to poison arrows
- Killer coral that inspired a Hawaiian legend
- Spiders that kill... or cure
- A shark with toxic flesh
- The caustic defense of millipedes
- A venomous snake with a poisonous neck
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| Some rockpools host soft corals fatal to humans... (annalisaconcetta) |
1. Blue Ifrits & Poisonous PigeonsBirds are probably not the first creature you would think of as poisonous. There are several birds that carry potentially deadly toxins though - including a poisonous pigeon called the brush bronzewing.
No bird actually produces their own poison - most sift toxins out of their food. There are a couple of other methods - hoopoes maintain a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in their uropygial glands, obtaining their chemical payload from these microorganisms.
These toxins are typically not very dangerous to humans - we don't typically interact with or eat the birds in question. Quails are an exception - they can become toxic during migrations as they eat toxic plants as they go. There's also been a number of poisonings after consuming ruffed grouse - the bird consumes toxic mountain laurel buds when other foods are scarce.
2. Poison Arrow Beetles
The classic poisoned arrow uses venom obtained from snakes, frogs or plants. Bushman hunters from the Ju|’hoansi San tribe of Africa use a different method - they dig for beetle larvae feeding on commiphora plants.The hunters extract the innards of the larvae, squeezing them directly onto the arrowheads. Alternatively they can be ground into a paste with spit and plant juice to make a toxic glue to coat edges. It takes animals anywhere between a few hours and a few days to succumb. Interestingly the venom has no effect when ingested by mammals - so poisoned animals are still safe to eat.
3. Coral that Kills
Zoanthids are soft marine corals, animals typically resembling a small patch of underwater fungi or flowers. Zoanthids from the Palythoa genus contain palytoxin, a very dangerous chemical fatal to humans.Palythoa actually has a little bit of Hawaiian mythology, where it was known as "limu make ‘o Hana" or "the deadly seaweed of Hana." Legend has it that a spate of disappearances were attributed to a humpbacked fisherman. When confronted, the hump was revealed to be the mouth of a shark - so the locals killed the fisherman, burned his body and tossed his ashes into a tidepool. The story goes that the tidepool was cursed by the ashes, leading to the growth of toxic "seaweed" that could used to poison spears.
4. Harmful (or Helpful) Spider Bites
Funnel-web spiders have a devastating bite - human victims can expect anything from nausea to death within 15 minutes. The venom of the K’gari funnel-web may have a major medical use. It blocks a cell-death signal that naturally occurs when oxygen supply to an organ is cut off - for example, during a stroke or heart attack. Forcing cells to stay alive could buy medics time to restore oxygen - possibly saving the cells and resulting in a much better outcome for the patient.Another example is the Brazilian wandering spider - an arachnid belonging to the Phoneutria (murderess in Greek) genus. Though slower acting, their venom is equally dangerous - and can trigger a long-lasting and painful erection in male victims. The effect is so potent that researchers are trialing it as a kind of super-Viagra!
Not all spider bites are so dangerous or helpful though. The sac spiders (named for silk dens they make) can leave a nasty bite that kills off parts of the skin. Nasty to be sure, but the strange thing here is that at least one variety seems attracted to the scent of petrol. This led to Mazda having to issue a recall in 2014, as the spiders were nesting inside engines and causing damage!
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| Funnel web spiders are deadly - but their venom might have medical uses... (Erik_Karits) |
5. A Toxic SharkA long-lived ambush predator and carrion eater, the Greenland shark is toxic when consumed raw - but becomes edible when dried, fermented or boiled. Eating unprepared flesh can induce an effect similar to consuming large quantities of alcohol, and can be fatal to humans and dogs in bulk.
The intoxicative effect is due to high concentrations of urea (toxic to animals, and the namesake of urine) and trimethylamine oxide (to counter the urea) present in the shark. Not only does this combination of chemicals save the shark energy that would be wasted on filtering waste from the blood, it acts as antifreeze and a buoyancy aid!
6. Caustic Millipede Burns
Unlike their centipede relatives, millipedes cannot inject venom with a bite - but they do still have access to poison. When threatened, millipedes can secrete a cocktail of chemicals through pores along their flanks.The fluid released by the arthropod is really quite nasty. Researchers have identified hydrochloric acid and hydrogen cyanide amongst the caustic mixture. It also contains benzoquinones (which can be used as tanning agents) that can discolor the skin.
The secretion can drive off spiders and ants with a combined burning and asphyxiating effect. Fortunately the dosage high enough to be that dangerous to humans. Localized irritation and discoloration (sometimes called millipede burn) are the most common results.
The black lemurs of Madagascar have found a way to exploit this defensive strategy. They find and scare a millipede until it secretes, then rub the fluid over themselves. This acts like a natural pesticide and mosquito repellent - and also intoxicates the lemur!
7. The Venomous Snake with a Poisonous Neck
Though not all snakes have venom, they are certainly associated with it. The tiger keelback snake takes things a step further - it adds toxic flesh to a venomous bite.Native to Japan, these snakes consume toxic toads, and store the poison from their meals in the nuchal glands of the neck. When facing an enemy, the snakes arch their neck to make those glands a prominent target - anything biting them will get a face full of toxins.
Weirdly enough the snake seems to know when it is armed. Researchers found that the snakes would flee if they hadn't eaten toads recently. Eating a toad changed their behavior, and the reptile began to stand it's ground when threatened.
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