Comment on venomous
phdepressed@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
Show loris(big eyes), African crested rat(spiky hair), Cuban solenodon(shrew like thing), and of course the platypus.
Comment on venomous
phdepressed@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
Show loris(big eyes), African crested rat(spiky hair), Cuban solenodon(shrew like thing), and of course the platypus.
etchinghillside@reddthat.com 2 months ago
I was only aware of a platypus. Is it all administered through some barb like appendage on the legs? Which one shoots venom missiles?
phdepressed@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
The loris and the solenodon have toxic saliva. The rat is controversial as it slathers chewed up poison dart tree on itself so hairs absorb it but it doesn’t produce venom/poison itself. Not sure of any “venom missiles” from mammals.
frigidaphelion@lemmy.world 2 months ago
That’s because everyone who has been close enough to see the venom-missile-shooting tenrec hasnt lived to talk about it (there’s a tenrec for every occasion)
Mothra@mander.xyz 2 months ago
Are the toxins in the saliva a product of bacteria (as it happens with komodo dragons) or do the mammals themselves produce the toxins?
phdepressed@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
Solenodons have a modified salivary gland and a sort of channel for the venom, related fossils show full on hollow teeth similar a snake.
The slow loris mixes their sweat with their saliva(both saliva and sweat are toxic).
However in both cases I’m not sure about the molecular details of toxin production. E.g. whether the loris or solenodon just carry certain bacteria that make the toxin or whether they produce from their own cells.
hangyor@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
I think it was shown komodo dragons do produce their own venom as well as having bacteria ridden mouths
gwilikers@lemmy.ml 2 months ago
Damn rats are smart.