Venoms; venomous animals and antivenomous serum-therapeutics . Fig. 111.—Thalassophryne reticulata (Panama; Tropical Pacific). (After Savtschenko.) The Grunting Batrachus, which does not exceed 30 cm. inlength, is especially common in West Indian waters. When takenfrom the water it makes a peculiar grunting sound, whence its nameis derived. The pectoral fins are reddish, the back is brown, andthe sides are yellow, marbled with black. It has three spines in theanterior dorsal fin, and a fourth spine on the top of the operculum,with a small poison-sac at the base of each. VENOMS IN THE ANIMAL SE
Venoms; venomous animals and antivenomous serum-therapeutics . Fig. 111.—Thalassophryne reticulata (Panama; Tropical Pacific). (After Savtschenko.) The Grunting Batrachus, which does not exceed 30 cm. inlength, is especially common in West Indian waters. When takenfrom the water it makes a peculiar grunting sound, whence its nameis derived. The pectoral fins are reddish, the back is brown, andthe sides are yellow, marbled with black. It has three spines in theanterior dorsal fin, and a fourth spine on the top of the operculum,with a small poison-sac at the base of each. VENOMS IN THE ANIMAL SEBIES 303 Next to this genus come the species of Thalassophryne, (fig. Ill), found on the shores of Panama, and , of Bahia (Brazil), which are provided with a preciselysimilar poison-apparatus. The physiological action of the venom of these two specieshas not yet been studied, but it is probable that it does notdiffer from that of the venom of the Weevers and the speciesof Fig. 112.—Lophius setigenis (China Sea and Sea of Japan). (After Savtschenko.) 6.—Pediculati. The fishes belonging to this family are of large size and compactshape, with the anterior part of the body greatly expanded. Thehead, which is broad, bears ven6mous spines, and the mouth isfurnished with large teeth. These fishes are voracious, and lie 304 VENOMS in wait for their prey at the bottom of the water in the mudof the shore. In order to attract it, they make use of cutaneousappendages attached to their spines, which they are able to ele-vate, and of filaments situated near the mouth. The principal genus is Lophius, one species of which, L. setigerus(fig. 112), is found in the seas of China and Japan. Another species,L. piscatorius (the Sea Devil or Angler), occurs in the temperateclimates of Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. Certain other Acanthoptej-ygii are capable of inflicting wounds,but, although fishermen often believe them to be venomous, or such %i:|:&^
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