The ways eastern fence lizards have changed in response to red imported fire ants demonstrate how species can adapt to survive the presence of invasive predators.
Ranging from 12 to 22 centimetres, these tiny octopus are extremely venomous and found all over Australia. Here’s what to do if you see someone get bitten.
The Stiletto Snake is one of the species found in Mozambique.
extinctorshy.org - Ali Puruleia
The weather is warming up, and snakes are coming out to bask in the sun. But we don’t need to tell tall tales to appreciate snakes – the truth is far more fascinating.
Social media has proved to be a helpful source of observations of snakes feeding. Knowing more about their diet is useful because it’s linked to their venom biochemistry.
In the blue corner is the extremely venomous Black Mamba – top snake of Africa – and in the red corner is the muscular Inland Taipan – Australia’s alpha snake.
Black mamba venom can be lethal.
Photograph courtesy Thomas Birkenbach
Not much is known about the pathology of trauma of black mamba bites – that is, what the black mamba’s toxin does, physically, inside a victim’s system.
The Mohave rattlesnake — poster child for venom variation among rattlesnakes.
W. Wüster
The Mohave rattlesnake is famous for its variable venom – but the reasons behind that variation are not as straightforward as we thought.
Tom Hardy in Venom: the intense action sequences are balanced by disarming humour.
Avi Arad Productions, Columbia Pictures Corporation,Marvel Entertainment.
Venom is an engrossing science fiction film, which balances intense action sequences with disarming humour. Viewing it in 4DX, however, did not add to the experience.
Indian-made antivenoms, common throughout Africa because they are affordable, showed little-to-no neutralisation of the African Echis venoms.
An eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) in characteristic defensive posture. Orange spots on the snakes underside are a distinctive feature of brown snakes.
Matt Summerville
There has been at least one fatal bite from a very small brown snake in Australia. But now we know that venom is different in adult and baby brown snakes.
Scientists usually use the word “venomous” rather than “poisonous” when they’re talking about snakes.
Flickr/Sirenz Lorraine