Pipe 2WRN Toxic snail puts fish in a sugar coma, then eats them

Toxic snail puts fish in a sugar coma, then eats them

by
in science on (#2WRN)
Cone snails are notorious for stinging scuba divers tempted to pick up their beautiful shells. But the geographic cone snail (Conus geographus)—the most venomous cone snail of all, with several human deaths under its belt—takes its practice of poisoning to a whole new level. The tropical sluggard kills by overdosing fish with a toxic cloud containing insulin. Plummeting blood sugar levels throw the victims into a stupor.

Once the fish are in a sugar coma, the cone snail reaches out with what's called a false mouth—it looks like it's throwing a cape over its prey—and drags a stupefied animal into its mouth. The snail then stings the fish with another set of toxins, just to make sure its victim is completely paralyzed. Other compounds in cone snail venom produce similar results. But no other animal that researchers know of—except perhaps people—uses insulin to kill like this.

History


Deprecated: mb_convert_encoding(): Handling HTML entities via mbstring is deprecated; use htmlspecialchars, htmlentities, or mb_encode_numericentity/mb_decode_numericentity instead in /var/pipedot/include/diff.php on line 25

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiff::$granularityStack is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 217

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiff::$edits is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 218

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiff::$from_text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 219

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiff::$last_edit is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 372

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiff::$stackpointer is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 373

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiff::$from_offset is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 375

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffCopyOp::$len is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 155

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$fromLen is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 126

Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FineDiffReplaceOp::$text is deprecated in /var/pipedot/lib/finediff/finediff.php on line 127
2015-01-20 08:38
Toxic snail puts fish in a sugar coma, then eats them
evilviper@pipedot.org
Cone snails are notorious for stinging scuba divers tempted to pick up their beautiful shells. But the geographic cone snail (Conus geographus)—-the most venomous cone snail of all, with several human deaths under its belt—-takes its practice of poisoning to a whole new level. The tropical sluggard kills by overdosing fish with a toxic cloud containing insulin. Plummeting blood sugar levels throw the victims into a stupor.

Once the fish are in a sugar coma, the cone snail reaches out with what's called a false mouth—-it looks like it's throwing a cape over its prey—-and drags a stupefied animal into its mouth. The snail then stings the fish with another set of toxins, just to make sure its victim is completely paralyzed. Other compounds in cone snail venom produce similar results., Bbut no other animal that researchers know of—-except perhaps people—-uses insulin to kill like this.
Reply 0 comments