Toxicity and metabolic costs of the Atlantic stingray (Dasyatis sabina) venom delivery system in relation to its role in life history

Enzor, Laura A.; Wilborn, Rachel E.; Bennett, Wayne A.

doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2011.08.026

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…However, whether the production of venom really represents a substantial metabolic cost is still a matter of debate [50,72], and very few studies have actually investigated the metabolic costs of venom production. While most of these studies did demonstrate a higher metabolic rate after venom expenditure compared to a resting state [73,74,75,76,77,78], it has also been reported that in comparison with, for example, molting or food digestion, the metabolic costs of venom expenditure (at least for snakes) seem fairly low [72,73,75]. The energetic costs of venom production may therefore not be as high as often suggested.…”

Section: Venom Modulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Diversity of Venom: The Importance of Behavior and Venom System Morphology in Understanding Its Ecology and Evolution

Schendel

Rash

Jenner

et al. 2019

Toxins

170

192

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Venoms are one of the most convergent of animal traits known, and encompass a much greater taxonomic and functional diversity than is commonly appreciated. This knowledge gap limits the potential of venom as a model trait in evolutionary biology. Here, we summarize the taxonomic and functional diversity of animal venoms and relate this to what is known about venom system morphology, venom modulation, and venom pharmacology, with the aim of drawing attention to the importance of these largely neglected aspects of venom research. We find that animals have evolved venoms at least 101 independent times and that venoms play at least 11 distinct ecological roles in addition to predation, defense, and feeding. Comparisons of different venom systems suggest that morphology strongly influences how venoms achieve these functions, and hence is an important consideration for understanding the molecular evolution of venoms and their toxins. Our findings also highlight the need for more holistic studies of venom systems and the toxins they contain. Greater knowledge of behavior, morphology, and ecologically relevant toxin pharmacology will improve our understanding of the evolution of venoms and their toxins, and likely facilitate exploration of their potential as sources of molecular tools and therapeutic and agrochemical lead compounds.

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Section: Venom Modulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Diversity of Venom: The Importance of Behavior and Venom System Morphology in Understanding Its Ecology and Evolution

Schendel

Rash

Jenner

et al. 2019

Toxins

170

192

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It is uncertain if other fish species also utilise venom in this way. However, it has been suggested that the venom apparatus of stingrays has evolved primarily for a role in intraspecific aggressive encounters [ 79 ]. The reasons for this hypothesis are the relatively low toxicity and low metabolic cost of the venom, the use of the sting on conspecific individuals, and observations that the sting is not used on attacking predators.…”

Section: Evolving a Venom Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The reasons for this hypothesis are the relatively low toxicity and low metabolic cost of the venom, the use of the sting on conspecific individuals, and observations that the sting is not used on attacking predators. Although defensive stingray barbs injure many people worldwide every year, it has been noted that when handling them, they generally sting very reluctantly [ 79 , 80 ]. The primary role of the relatively non-damaging venom may therefore be in social interactions.…”

Section: Evolving a Venom Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Replenishment of toxins after use can be energetically demanding to an organism [ 33 , 97 ], although not all venoms are metabolically costly [ 79 ]. The energy used on replenishment can reduce fitness and survivability, as it can take up to several days [ 116 , 117 ], leaving them chemically undefended.…”

Section: Energetic Implications Of Evolving a Venom Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolutionary Ecology of Fish Venom: Adaptations and Consequences of Evolving a Venom System

Harris

Jenner

2019

Toxins

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Research on venomous animals has mainly focused on the molecular, biochemical, and pharmacological aspects of venom toxins. However, it is the relatively neglected broader study of evolutionary ecology that is crucial for understanding the biological relevance of venom systems. As fish have convergently evolved venom systems multiple times, it makes them ideal organisms to investigate the evolutionary ecology of venom on a broader scale. This review outlines what is known about how fish venom systems evolved as a result of natural enemy interactions and about the ecological consequences of evolving a venom system. This review will show how research on the evolutionary ecology of venom in fish can aid in understanding the evolutionary ecology of animal venoms more generally. Further, understanding these broad ecological questions can shed more light on the other areas of toxinology, with applications across multiple disciplinary fields.

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“…Chemical defences are common evolutionary adaptations for defence against predators as well as pathogens [2,3]. The production and maintenance of chemical defences, as well as the systems to deliver them, represent an energetic investment that occurs at the expense of allocation to other life-history traits [4][5][6]. The concept that venoms and toxins represent an expensive and limited resource in animals has led to formulation of 'optimization hypotheses', which predict that individuals should gauge the use of their chemical defences and apply them judiciously [7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cost of chemical defence: the impact of toxin depletion on growth and behaviour of cane toads ( Rhinella marina )

et al. 2019

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Many animals capable of deploying chemical defences are reluctant to use them, suggesting that synthesis of toxins imposes a substantial cost. Typically, such costs have been quantified by measuring the elevation in metabolic rate induced by toxin depletion (i.e. during replenishment of toxin stores). More generally, we might expect that toxin depletion will induce shifts in a broad suite of fitness-relevant traits. In cane toads (Rhinella marina), toxic compounds that protect against predators and pathogens are stored in large parotoid (shoulder) glands. We used correlational and experimental approaches in field and laboratory settings to investigate impacts of toxin depletion on growth rate and behaviour in cane toads. In free-ranging toads, larger toxin stores were associated with smaller gonads and livers, suggesting energetic trade-offs between toxin production and both reproduction and energy metabolism. Experimental removal of toxin (by manually squeezing parotoid glands) reduced rates of growth in body mass in both captive and free-ranging toads. Radio tracking demonstrated that de-toxined toads dispersed more slowly than did control toads. Given that toxin stores in cane toads take several months to fully replenish, deploying toxin to repel a predator may impose a substantial cost, explaining why toads use toxin only as a final line of defence.

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Toxicity and metabolic costs of the Atlantic stingray (Dasyatis sabina) venom delivery system in relation to its role in life history

Cited by 9 publications

References 37 publications

The Diversity of Venom: The Importance of Behavior and Venom System Morphology in Understanding Its Ecology and Evolution

The Diversity of Venom: The Importance of Behavior and Venom System Morphology in Understanding Its Ecology and Evolution

Evolutionary Ecology of Fish Venom: Adaptations and Consequences of Evolving a Venom System

The cost of chemical defence: the impact of toxin depletion on growth and behaviour of cane toads ( Rhinella marina )

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