List of poisonous animals
The following is a list of poisonous animals, which are animals that passively deliver toxins (called poison) to their victims upon contact such as through inhalation, absorption through the skin, or after being ingested.[1][2] They are often distinguished from venomous animals, which actively inject their toxins (called venom) into their victims through a venom apparatus such as fangs or a stinger.[1][2] The only difference between poisonous animals and venomous animals is how they deliver the toxins.[3][2] This list deals exclusively with poisonous animals.
Poisonous animals[edit]
This list is a partial list of animals that are poisonous to humans and other animals in that their flesh is toxic if consumed, or in some cases if they are touched:
Mammals[edit]
- Slow loris (usually thought of as venomous, but they also lick their fur, making it toxic)[4]
Birds[edit]
- Pitohui
- Blue-capped ifrit
- Shrikethrushes[citation needed]
- Spur-winged goose (diet-dependent)[5]
- Common quail (diet-dependent)
Snakes[edit]
- Rhabdophis keelback snakes
- Garter snake (diet-dependent, when feeding on Pacific newts)[6]
Frogs and toads[edit]
- American toad
- Asiatic toad
- Cane toad
- Colorado River toad
- Common toad
- Corroboree frog
- European green toad
- Fowler's toad
- Mantella
- Poison dart frog
The bright colors of poison dart frogs warn predators of their toxicity.
Salamanders[edit]
- Pacific newts or Western newts[7]
Fish[edit]
- Tetraodontidae (Blowfish, Pufferfish)
- Greenland shark
- Barracuda (age and diet dependent)
Cephalopods[edit]
Insects[edit]
- Blister beetle
- Diamphidia
- Cinnabar moth
- Certain tiger moths (Erebidae)
- Birdwings
- Milkweed butterflies (include Monarch butterfly)
- Battus (butterfly)
Crustaceans[edit]
- Gorilla crabs (Xanthidae)
Cnidarians[edit]
Echinoderms[edit]
- It is common for sea cucumbers like Pearsonothuria graeffei to protect itself with toxins[10]
- Actinopyga agassizii a toxic sea cucumber
- Some starfish, like Plectaster decanus, are poisonous
Annelids[edit]
- The polychaete worm Hediste diversicolor[11]
- Halla parthenopeia[12]
Nemerteans[edit]
- Antarctonemertes valida is one of several nemerteans which make use of defensive toxic secretions[13]
Flatworms[edit]
- Bipalium kewense, the hammerhead flatworm, is coated in toxic mucus[14]
Sponges[edit]
- Negombata magnifica, the toxic finger-sponge, is one of many toxic species of sponges
Placozoans[edit]
- Trichoplax use large specialized cells to release antipredatory toxins[15]
See also[edit]
- Poisonous amphibians
- Toxic birds
- List of venomous animals
- List of poisonous plants
- List of poisonous fungi
References[edit]
- ^ a b Gupta, Ramesh C. (24 March 2017). Reproductive and developmental toxicology. Saint Louis. pp. 963–972. ISBN 978-0-12-804240-3. OCLC 980850276.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b c Chippaux, JP; Goyffon, M (2006). "[Venomous and poisonous animals--I. Overview]". Médecine Tropicale (in French). 66 (3): 215–20. ISSN 0025-682X. PMID 16924809.
- ^ "Poison vs. Venom". Australian Academy of Science. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
- ^ Nekaris, K. Anne-Isola; Moore, Richard S.; Rode, E. Johanna; Fry, Bryan G. (2013-09-27). "Mad, bad and dangerous to know: the biochemistry, ecology and evolution of slow loris venom". Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases. 19 (1): 21. doi:10.1186/1678-9199-19-21. ISSN 1678-9199. PMC 3852360. PMID 24074353.
- ^ Bartram, S.; Boland, W. (2001). "Chemistry and ecology of toxic birds". ChemBioChem. 2 (11): 809–811. doi:10.1002/1439-7633(20011105)2:11<809::aid-cbic809>3.0.co;2-c. PMID 11948866. S2CID 6259254.
- ^ Williams, Becky L.; Brodie Jr., Edmund D.; Brodie III, Edmund D. (2004). "A resistant predator and its toxic prey: persistence of newt toxin leads to poisonous (not venomous) snakes" (PDF). Journal of Chemical Ecology. 30 (10): 1901–1919. doi:10.1023/B:JOEC.0000045585.77875.09. PMID 15609827. S2CID 14274035.
- ^ "Western Newts". Toxic Animals Around The World. December 2005.
- ^ "Kings of Camouflage". NOVA. April 3, 2007. "Well, it turns out the flamboyant cuttlefish is toxic. It's as toxic as blue-ringed octopuses."
- ^ Rowlett, Joe (2018-04-11). "Rhodactis Mushroom Corals Are Surprisingly Deadly". Reefs.com.
- ^ Pearsonothuria graeffei – Invertebrate Zoology
- ^ An investigation into the toxicity of tissue extracts from two distinct marine Polychaeta
- ^ Toxicity of the purple mucus of the polychaete Halla parthenopeia (Oenonidae) revealed by a battery of ecotoxicological bioassays
- ^ Evolution, Expression Patterns, and Distribution of Novel Ribbon Worm Predatory and Defensive Toxins
- ^ Meet, but don't touch, the toxic invasive worm that experts say has been hiding in plain sight
- ^ Neural versus alternative integrative systems: molecular insights into origins of neurotransmitters - Journals