Friday 19 May 2017

Venom becomes more potent as brown snakes age




Date: May 16, 2017
Source: University of Queensland

The "blood nuking" capabilities of adult brown snake venom only come about after an amazing transformation.

New research led by University of Queensland scientist Associate Professor Bryan Fry has shown the venom of young brown snakes attacks the nervous system, while the venom of older snakes has dangerous effects on the circulatory system.

"This is because young brown snakes specialise in lizards, then specialise in mammals as adults," Dr Fry said.

"Young brown snakes may produce clinical symptoms like that of a death adder, as they seek out and paralyse sleeping lizards.

"Once older, their venom contains toxins that cause devastating interference with blood clotting, causing rodent prey to become immobilised by stroke.

"Although the venom is diluted in the much larger blood volume of a human and do not cause stroke, bite victims can still die from internal bleeding."

Dr Fry, of the UQ School of Biological Sciences' Venom Evolution Laboratory said brown snakes were highly venomous and were found in mainland Australia, with the eastern brown snakes also found in New Guinea.

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