Marbled Cone Snail Antivenom

To date no specific antivenom has been manufactured to combat the snail s deadly venom as numerous variations within the conus species have made it nearly impossible to create effective countermeasures nih gov.

Marbled cone snail antivenom.

When you think of deadly animals you tend to think of sharks lions and bears not snails. Cone snail venom medical uses and potential benefits is a very interesting hub. Use the pressure immobilization technique. The radula in most gastropods has rows of many small teeth and is used for grasping at food and scraping it into the mouth.

The marbled cone snail has a harpoon like weapon that it uses on prey such as fish. To sense food cone shells filter water through a tubelike organ called a siphon. It s pretty rare that humans encounter a dangerous situation with this deadly snail but it can happen. Another interesting fact about the marbled cone snail is the fact that its venom is 10 000 times more potent than today s morphine as an anesthetic.

Roughly 30 humans to date have succumbed to the poison of the marbled cone snail. Cone snails use a radula tooth as a harpoon like structure for predation. Thirdly it combines a deadly venom secreted through this tooth to positively ensure that its prey cannot escape. Their venom a complex concoction of hundreds of different.

There is no antivenom available for cone snail stings. Indeed cone snail venom is so powerful and painless that victims can die unaware that they ve even been bitten. The geographic cone is the most venomous of the 500 known cone snail species and several human deaths have been attributed to them. Thank you very much for the vote and the share carolyn.

Each of these harpoons is a modified tooth primarily made of chitin and formed inside the mouth of the snail in a structure known as the toxoglossan radula. Top 10 deadliest animals. For starters it is a carnivorous animal that specifically hunts other molluscs secondly it utilizes a specialized harpoon shaped tooth to take down its prey. An informative useful and a definitely a learning lesson.

Nature is definitely amazing. If scuba diving the diver stung should safely surface immediately accompanied by another diver. The cone snail lives in the pacific ocean is prized by beachgoers for its beautifully colored shell. Linda crampton author from british columbia canada on january 07 2014.

There is currently no anti venom. However those swimming should be careful as the cone snail is one of the most poisonous creatures on earth. But the marbled cone snail is often listed as one of the 10 most deadliest animals on the planet. To make matters worse there s no anti venom for the cone snail s sting.