విష జంతువులు

విషం కలిగియున్న జంతువులు - విష జంతువులు
200px|left|thumb|Wasp sting, with droplet of venom

 క్రిమికీటకాలు 
Among animals using venom are spiders and centipedes, which also inject venom through fangs; scorpions and stinging insects, which inject venom with a sting (which, in insects such as bees and wasps, is a modified egg-laying device – the ovipositor). Many caterpillars have defensive venom glands associated with specialized bristles on the body, known as urticating hairs, and can be lethal to humans (e.g., that of the Lonomia moth).

Because they are tasked to defend their hives and food stores, bees synthesize and employ an acidic venom (apitoxin) to cause pain in those that they sting, whereas wasps use a chemically different venom designed to paralyze prey, so it can be stored alive in the food chambers of their young. The use of venom is much more widespread than just these examples, of course. Other insects, such as true bugs  and many ants, also produce venom.

There are many other venomous invertebrates, including jellyfish and cone snails. The box jellyfish is widely considered the most venomous creature in the world.

 చేపలు 
కొన్ని రకాల చేపలు విషాన్ని కలిగివుంటాయి. వీనిలో మృదులాస్థి చేపలైన స్టింగ్ రే చేపలు(Stingrays), సొరచేపలు (Shark), ఈల్ (Eels), పిల్లి చేపలు (Catfishes), రాతిచేపలు (Stonefishes), తేలు చేపలు (Scorpionfishes), సింహం చేపలు (Lionfishes), మొదలైనవి ముఖ్యమైనవి.

 సర్పాలు 
విషపూరిత జంతువులలో అందరికీ తెలిసినవి సర్పాలు (Snakes). కొన్ని జాతుల సర్పాలు వాటికుండే కోరల (Fangs) ద్వారా విషాన్ని ఇతర జీవుల శరీరంలోపలికి ఇంజెక్ట్ చేస్తాయి.

Snake venom is produced by glands below the eye and delivered to the victim through tubular or channeled fangs. Snake venoms contain a variety of peptide toxins (Proteases), which hydrolize protein peptide bonds, and nucleases, which hydrolize the phosphodiester bonds of DNA. Snakes use their venom principally for hunting, though the threat of being bitten serves also as a defense. Snake bites cause a variety of symptoms including pain, swelling, tissue damage, low blood pressure, convulsions, and hemorrhaging (varying by species of snake).

Doctors treat victims of a venomous bite with antivenin, which is created by dosing an animal such as a sheep, horse, goat, or rabbit with a small amount of the targeted venom. The immune system of the subject animal responds to the dose, producing antibodies to the venom's active molecule; the antibodies can then be harvested from the animal's blood and applied to treat envenomation in others. This treatment can be used effectively only a limited number of times for a given person, however, as that person will ultimately develop antibodies to neutralize the foreign animal antibodies injected into them (anti-antibody antibodies). Even if that person does not suffer a serious allergic reaction to the antivenom, his own immune system can destroy the antivenin before the antivenin can destroy the venom. Though most people never require even one treatment of antivenin in their lifetime, let alone several, people who work with snakes or other venomous animals may.

 క్షీరదాలు 
కొన్ని జాతుల క్షీరదాలు (Mammals) విషపూరితమైనవి. వీనిలో కొన్ని సోలినోడాన్లు, ష్రూలు, దేవాంగిపిల్లి, మగ ప్లాటిపస్ జీవులు.

వర్గం:జంతు శాస్త్రము