looks like another "HOT" topic

Seamus
Since the general opinion is that venom aids in digestion. spam_I have one quick question for you.

Venom is broken down into several catagories, nuerotoxic, necrotxic, and hemotoxic.

So in necro- and hemo- I can see that as an aid in digestion.

But here is my question.
What role does a neurotoxin (paralytic) play to aid in chemical break down of prey items?
Doesn't it just make them paralized (and all that entails from stopping respirations to full blown cardiac shut down) for easy retrieval and consumption,  not digestion?

Just a passing thought is all.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">What role does a neurotoxin (paralytic) play to aid in chemical break down of prey items?</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

While it certainly isn't as direct as the tissue breakdown that accompanies most hemotoxic, myotoxic, cytotoxic or even vasoactive or cardioactive toxins, by breaking down the nervous system, the body of a prey animal generally ends up breaking itself down.

The paralysis obviously plays a very strong role in prey aquisition but the destruction of both the bodies ability to sense any actions that occur within it as well as the lack of control over musculature and the massive chemical releases that accompanies the majority of neurotoxic envenomations will, in itself, cause effects that destroy tissue to some degree or another.

It is also of signifigant note that there are no snakes that have venom that is exclusivly neurotoxic. There are, in all studies cases and of course to varying degrees based on both species and numerous other factors effecting venom composition, always some toxins that directly effect tissue or blood structure &nbsp;along with the neurotoxins.

Unfortunatly that entire description about the evolutionary imperatives and drives is conjecture at best. Conjecture backed up by evidence of course, and a logical progression of the proposed process... But Darwinistic evolution in and of itself is nothing more than a substantially evidenced theory. And evolution has been suspected of &quot;going back on itself&quot; if you will in numerous cases. After a certain point, or given a particular ecological niche, it is possible for evolved traits to regress.

It is suspected that hemotoxic and cytotoxic venom would have been the initial evolution, backed up by circumstantial evidence taken from any number of both rear fanged and &quot;warm&quot; (species that have mild toxins in their saliva without a specialized delivery system) colubrids and the composition of the weaker toxins. The venom of virtually all of those weakly toxic species is either entirely lacking, or has very low concentrations of, neurotoxins.

These &quot;facts&quot; (they aren't facts at all, very few things are) lack truely confirming evidence as venom glands are soft tissue, don't fossilize well to say the least, venomous snakes are suspected of being realatively newer in terms of evolutionary history and the physical composition and action of venom glands is very similar regardless of the type of toxin produced.

That is, of course, all related to reptilian venom... Not talking about fish or inverts here.

I intend no offense, but when it comes to discussions of this nature, I don't know you from a hole in the wall Sir... How specific and technical would you like the response to be? Everything on the thread so far has been casually worded and very basic because &nbsp;I have not the slightest idea what anyone's educational level on the subject might be. If you'd like more detailed or scientifically oriented, rather than pet trade oriented information, I'd be happy to answer anything I am able to although I would suggest that perhaps the more detailed information be sent through private communication arther than continueing to drift further and further off topic on this thread.

If the explination above is a bit unclear, without getting overly technical about it... When the nerves are damaged, the body will damage itself- thus the severe vomiting, cramps, chemical releases of all kinds of fun things into the bloodstream cardiac and resperatory damage and lesser effects related to the paralysis that often occurs... (not always on that either, there are many kinds of toxins within the broader groups, both general types down to the specific composition of a species and even the composition of individuals, diet, age, gender, temperature, humidity, even barometric pressure can all play a part in venom toxicity and the effects on particular organisms) all have an impact on the surrounding affected cells.

And if WebSlave happens to read this thread, a go ahead from you on a lengthier, detailed post would produce specific &nbsp;answers to questions but I don't want to risk deletion of the entire thread by discussing biology when it isn't the stated subject of the forum.

In reading my own post, I should point out that I am not arguing against the statement that the primary result of neurotoxic envenomation would appear to be prey aquisition.

I am merely stating there are alternate effects and that neurotoxins, in reptiles anyway, are never the sole venom &quot;type&quot; found in any known species. A species can be predominantly neurotoxic, but never solely neurotoxic.