The two broad classes of toxins found in snake venoms are neurotoxins (mostly found in elapids) and hemotoxins (mostly found in viperids). Some snake venoms carry fasciculins, like the mambas (Dendroaspis), which inhibit cholinesterase to make the prey lose muscle control. Some cobra species, like the zebra spitting cobra (Naja nigricincta), have adapted to spit venom when startled, typically aiming for the eyes of their target.
Cardiotoxins / Cytotoxins
Beyond mammals, large birds of prey, such as eagles, hawks, and the secretary bird, are aerial predators of snakes. Several animal species possess adaptations and behaviors to defeat cobras. As a result, mortality among those treated for Caspian cobra envenomation is still relatively high (up to 30 percent) compared to all other species of cobra (less than one percent).
While the Philippine Cobra is generally considered the most poisonous, regional variations in venom toxicity can occur within the same species. Still, it provides a helpful tool in understanding the relative danger of the venom when considering what is the most poisonous cobra in the world? It is endemic to the Philippines and is known for its highly potent neurotoxic venom.
COBRAS: CHARACTERISTICS, VENOM, BITES, TREATMENTS
As a result, a monovalent antivenom serum is being developed by the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute in Iran. Massive amounts of antivenom are often required for patients. Victims of this snake experience severe pain, severe swelling, bruising, blistering, and tissue necrosis.
Main Types of Cobra Venom Components
- Furthermore, the LD50 value only reflects the toxicity of the venom and does not account for factors such as venom yield or delivery efficiency.
- These results are significant to the venom evolution because it’s the first citation of rapid evolution in a venom-targeted molecule.
- The most common types of enzymes found in venoms are proteolytic, phospholipases and hyaluronidases, which serve different purposes.
- Different venoms contain different combinations of enzymes causing a deadlier effect than any of the individual ones.
These snakes all have hollow fixed fangs at the front of the upper jaw. Worldwide species include king snakes, rat snakes, milk snakes, and racers. Most snake species have modified jaws that enable them to capture and swallow large prey whole (Lillywhite, 2014).
Baby snakes, fully equipped with venom and fangs, are 10 inches long when they squirm out of the egg’s thin leathery shell. A “dry bite” is a bite from a venomous snake in which no venom is injected. In some cases, juvenile snakes may even inject more venom per bite than adults. However, some vipers can also have neurotoxic components in their venom.
Prey subjected vegas casino to cytotoxic venom often show signs of physical trauma beyond paralysis alone. Cytotoxins immobilize prey by causing severe local damage and inflammation which may also help initiate digestion even before ingestion. Prey animals such as rodents quickly lose motor control, allowing the cobra to consume them before they can escape or fight back.
One cobra handler told National Geographic, “Snakes aren’t evil or mean. Most species can reach lengths of 1.84 meters (6.0 feet). The markings on the back of a cobra’s hood are probably a defense tool. Some have distinctive hood marks; others have marks than can vary among individuals within a species. Some species have marks on their hoods; some don’t.
King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
The infamous king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), which primarily feeds on other snakes, is the world’s longest venomous snake with males reaching ~5 m in length. The venom is primarily used for prey capture and digestion, apart from spitting cobras who also use venom defensively. Even other snakes, particularly the king cobra, are known to hunt and consume their venomous relatives. Caspian cobras and Philippine cobras as we said before are the two cobra species with the most toxic venom based on LD50 studies on mice. The most important factors in the difference of mortality rates is the severity of the bite and which cobra species caused the envenomation.
The range and accuracy of venom shooting varies from species to species. Their front fangs don’t eject venom downward through an elongated discharge orifice (similar to a hypodermic needle). Among these species the ducts carrying the venom open onto the front rather than at the tip. To protect themselves cobras sometimes turn their backs to predators in an attempt to intimidate them with the “bold eye” markings on the back of their hood. Peafowl peck at the head of young snakes and then swallow them whole like a “string of spaghetti.” Cobras are caught by hunters are sold them to snake charmers and tanneries to make wallets and handbags. Pigs, which eat the snake as well kill it, are protected against the venom to some degree by their thick hides and layers of fat.
The survival rate of cobra bites among those who receive medical treatments depends on the cobra species involved. Scientists have found that cobras with a higher rates of ‘sham strikes’ tend to be more venomous, while those with a less toxic venom tend to envenomate more frequently when attempting to bite. Other highly venomous species are the forest cobras and water cobras of Africa. Cobra species referred to as spitting cobras have a specialized venom delivery mechanism.
- According to that revision, the genus Naja now includes 38 species.
- Emergency snake medicines are obtained by chewing a three-inch piece of the root of bois canôt (Cecropia peltata) and administering this chewed-root solution to the bitten subject (usually a hunting dog).
- Although usually no serious symptoms result if the venom is washed away immediately with plenty of water, blindness can become permanent if left untreated.
But there are species, like the file snakes, that have tuberculate (granular) scales as well (O’Shea, 2018). There are over 4,000 species of snakes across the globe (Uetz, 2022). Birds of prey, like eagles and hawks, use keen eyesight to spot cobras from above and execute swift dives. While not fully immune, honey badgers exhibit venom resistance, allowing them to recover from bites that might temporarily incapacitate them. This partial resistance allows them to survive bites and deliver a fatal bite to the cobra’s neck.
Effect on Prey:
It is incredible to have such a great diversity of snakes that we share our environments with and we encourage you to learn more about the snake species that live near you. The pit viper snakes are in the subfamily Crotalinae and can be found in the Western Hemisphere and Asia. Other elapids like sea snakes are entirely marine species and generally inhabit tropical nearshore waters and have high diversity in Oceania.
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Several North American species of rat snakes, as well as king snakes, have proven to be immune or highly resistant to the venom of rattlesnake species. However, some mildly venomous elapids remain, such as the hooded snakes (Parasuta), bandy-bandies (Vermicella), etc. These snakes’ fangs have been modified for the purposes of spitting; inside the fangs, the channel makes a 90° bend to the lower front of the fang.
Medical Implications for Humans
The mechanism of evolution in most cases has been gene duplication in tissues unrelated to the venom. Subsequently, this set of proteins evolved independently in the various lineages of toxicoferans, including Serpentes, Anguimorpha, and Iguania. Venom evolved just once among all Toxicofera about 170 million years ago, and then diversified into the huge venom diversity seen today. The Cohn Process exploits differences in plasma proteins properties, specifically, the high solubility and low pI of albumin. Bovine serum albumin is located in fraction V. The precipitation of albumin is done by reducing the pH to 4.8, near the pH of the proteins, and maintaining the ethanol concentration at 40%, with a protein concentration of 1%.
As many as 25 different enzymes are found in various venoms, out of which 10 are present in most of them. Snake venom is a toxin, which is a complex mixture of proteins and enzymes, as well as anticoagulants and other substances. Understanding these fascinating biochemical arsenals highlights why cobras remain one of nature’s most formidable predators despite their relatively small size. Understanding these differences helps explain how cobras thrive across varied ecosystems from African savannas to Asian jungles.
Cobra Bite Treatments
There is wide support for a 2009 revision that merged the genera Boulengerina and Paranaja with Naja. In the 2000s, the genus Naja had 20 to 22 species, but it has undergone several taxonomic revisions in recent years, so the number of species varies greatly depending on the source. While it’s impossible to know for certain if a bite is dry, it is extremely dangerous. This is because they may not have as much control over the amount of venom they inject. Do not attempt to approach, handle, or provoke the snake. Slowly back away from the snake, giving it plenty of space to escape.