Search found 87 matches

by venomdoc
February 27th, 2017, 12:32 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: support a female venom research student break down barriers
Replies: 5
Views: 2345

support a female venom research student break down barriers

My venom research PhD student Jordan Debono is competing with her life-saving research for the Queensland Women in Science 2017 prize. Please go to the link below and vote to support her trip to the International Society for Toxinology World Congress to present her work on the coagulation effects of...
by venomdoc
July 22nd, 2015, 10:26 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Expedition to Queimada Grande for the golden lancehead
Replies: 7
Views: 3078

Re: Expedition to Queimada Grande for the golden lancehead

I sold my soul to be on this reality TV program set there. But only a small piece of it that I really wasn't using anyway :twisted: It was however extremely intense to have a total cast/crew set of over 30 people including my Brazilian colleagues from CEVAP and ICMBio. I had that many people on the ...
by venomdoc
May 11th, 2015, 1:56 pm
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins
Replies: 10
Views: 17638

Re: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins

Natural product research leading to an applied outcome such as a the high blood pressure drug Captopril being developed from a modified snake toxin.
by venomdoc
May 10th, 2015, 8:07 pm
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins
Replies: 10
Views: 17638

Re: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins

Thank you :)
by venomdoc
April 24th, 2015, 2:55 pm
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins
Replies: 10
Views: 17638

Re: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins

Haven't been working with that particular Crotalus species but we are looking at other ones :)
by venomdoc
April 22nd, 2015, 12:42 am
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins
Replies: 10
Views: 17638

Re: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins

Hi BillMcGighan, The target audience is anyone working with these animals or with an interest in them. The book is certainly pitched at professionals in the field (academics, doctors, vets, zoo keepers etc.) but it is accessible to others as well. While some of the chapters are very technical in nat...
by venomdoc
April 20th, 2015, 2:54 pm
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins
Replies: 10
Views: 17638

Venomous Reptiles and Their Toxins

It is finally shipping :beer: Four years of work commencing with four months stuck in a hospital bed with a broken back as an exercise to keep me from going insane with boredom and frustration. It was surreal to finally hold a copy of it! http://venomdoc.com/downloads/DSC_2992.jpg Here is the Amazon...
by venomdoc
December 22nd, 2014, 4:53 am
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: Heloderma venom evolution paper
Replies: 2
Views: 3458

Heloderma venom evolution paper

Our latest paper :) It is open access so feel free to disseminate (y)

http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/6/12/3582/html
by venomdoc
December 18th, 2013, 11:52 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: paper on the venom evolution of Australian elapids
Replies: 0
Views: 1009

paper on the venom evolution of Australian elapids

http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/5/12/2621

Lots of fun field work went into this paper. We'd like to say 'no rental 4WDs were harmed in the making of this paper' but.... ummmm.... errr.... welllllll..... you know :lol:
by venomdoc
September 16th, 2013, 11:02 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Komodo Island
Replies: 5
Views: 2178

Re: Komodo Island

Image
by venomdoc
September 16th, 2013, 9:36 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Komodo Island
Replies: 5
Views: 2178

Re: Kimodo Island

Kimodo .... is this the island where the dragons are all walking around in drag wearing Japanese silk wrap around dresses ;)
by venomdoc
June 26th, 2013, 4:16 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Biology of the Pitvipers II Symposium, Tulsa, OK, 4-7 June 2
Replies: 1
Views: 1788

Re: Biology of the Pitvipers II Symposium, Tulsa, OK, 4-7 Ju

Looking forward to it, we have some cool new pitviper venom evolution work to present :)
by venomdoc
June 18th, 2013, 4:28 am
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: Lack of evidence for komodo dragons and weaponised bacteria
Replies: 3
Views: 3305

Lack of evidence for komodo dragons and weaponised bacteria

After much delay by one of the world's slowest journals, our paper on the relative presence bacteria in komodo dragon mouths is finally out. This is another nail in the coffin to the idea of komodo's using bacteria as a weapon. If this was the case, then they would be expect to have very high bacter...
by venomdoc
April 27th, 2013, 2:22 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

>Of course what would a bunch of fools from the UK and USA know about Australian critters they have never set eyes on? My irony meter is now a smoldering wreck. That statement has to go down as deserving of an award for world class psychological projection. Raymond Hoser, of the various overseas ani...
by venomdoc
April 24th, 2013, 4:52 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

>were to accurately describe what he looks at, he doesn’t generate the self publicity he so desperately craves Considering your laughably amateurish self-published taxonomy Raymond, those statements coming from you caused my irony meter to explode. For those of you reading this who are unfamiliar wi...
by venomdoc
April 20th, 2013, 2:07 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

>That's usually when I'd explain that there are lots of animals that are actually venomous but they would not cause ill effects on people...

Which means you did a very good job as an educator :)
by venomdoc
April 19th, 2013, 6:46 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Bornean Earless Lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis)
Replies: 41
Views: 25700

Re: Bornean Earless Lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis)

Hi Hans Here is our 2010 paper that included MRI imaging of their mandibular venom glands http://www.venomdoc.com/venomdoc/Scientific_publications_files/2010_Fry_Anguimorpha_venom_system.pdf . As for phylogenetic position, it is well established that Lanthanotidae and Varanidae are sister families t...
by venomdoc
April 19th, 2013, 6:46 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

Biology often cannot be properly answered in such stark black/white terms, particularly when talking about evolutionary continuums; so yes/no answers must be put in proper context in regards to variations on a theme. As we explored in http://www.venomdoc.com/venomdoc/Scientific_publications_files/20...
by venomdoc
April 15th, 2013, 6:40 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

To put our side of things in its proper context, here is the official press release for the paper that has spawned this thread. As is very apparent, we have been very careful to avoid any sensationalism regarding pythons having 'venom'. We have made it crystal clear we are talking about relics here ...
by venomdoc
April 10th, 2013, 11:43 am
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

>I'll repeat my last post, which has apparently remained unanswered (as have certain points in it which I and Jeremy have now raised numerous times) I have answered these posts in several different ways. Essentially what you are asking for can only be applied on a case-by-case basis. There is no rea...
by venomdoc
April 10th, 2013, 2:34 am
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

As for these papers: [Yi H-Y, Norrell MA. (2013) New materials of Estesia mongoliensis (Squamata:Anguimorpha) and the evolution of venom grooves in lizards. American Museum Novitiates 3767:1-31 ] First, in their discussion of relative tooth serration to previous studies on Varanus komodoensis and Va...
by venomdoc
April 10th, 2013, 1:32 am
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

>We suggest that if Fry et al had just followed the existing definition of “venom” and “venomous” they could have avoided the current dissent and confusion and instead of seeking “a new paradigm” Yes, we could have left the field in the 1960s It is a classic piece of psychology in regards to the nat...
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 11:06 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

>I feel that you are not willing to take apart the complexity for some reason. It is as if you are saying its too hard to precisely define so I give up they are all venomous. It is easy to do the extremely broad brush-strokes of incipiently (Iguania) or relics (boids/pythonids) or with some degree o...
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 9:21 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

Gerry, I was answering your questions respectfully, not sarcastically and certainly without personal attack. What you are asking in regards to a linguistic definition of 'technically venomous' and 'practically venomous', cannot be done so in the absence of coming up with characters to distinguish th...
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 8:43 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

>Functionally venomous: animals that use venom for prey capture and/or defense. the venom component has a measurable effect on potential target/recipient species. >relict venomous: animals that have traces of venom apperatus indicating a venomous past ancestor but do not have measurable venomous eff...
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 7:53 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

Actually, Ed Yong is a scientist and read the paper all the way through and asked quite a number of searching questions. So he was factually correct in how he presented the material. Regardless of how you feel about it making your life difficult as an educator, rather than taking this as an opportun...
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 7:37 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

I am hardly in control of what headline is put up. However, the article itself did a very good job of conveying the point that the python 'venom' is a relic, but that there is enough there to give a false-positive in the venom detection kit. This proper conveyance of information was due to me giving...
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 7:29 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

> Simple explicit clarification....

You mean explicit clarification such as that I provided for the Nat Geo page "From the perpective of a python biting, it [venom] for all practical purposes, does not exist since their venom production is a relic much like our appendix."
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 6:42 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

As we extensively detailed in this paper (and summarised in that review paper I linked above) http://www.venomdoc.com/venomdoc/Scientific_publications_files/2008_BGF_Evolution_of_an_Arsenal.pdf just in the non-front-fanged snakes alone there is a tremendous variation of gland morphologies. So trying...
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 5:58 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

I am quite willing to engage in discussions regarding matters of science, as I have done so above in outlining our scientific reasoning for favouring a terminology that captures the shared evolutionary history (including providing a link to our recent review paper that goes into this in-depth). Howe...
by venomdoc
April 9th, 2013, 11:32 am
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

>I believe he enjoys the notoriety and actively promotes or misinforms otherwise his research would be obscure and not widely known in the public.

Nice attempt at slander dude. Smacks a bit of jealousy me thinks.
by venomdoc
April 8th, 2013, 11:16 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

Homologous glands and homologous secretions require homologous terms. Otherwise, it becomes an absolute word salad. At what point would we, for example use, venom gland? 'Duvernoy's gland for example was originally coined back when 'colubrids' were thought a single assemblage that was more primitive...
by venomdoc
April 8th, 2013, 9:23 pm
Forum: News
Topic: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python venom?
Replies: 88
Views: 40743

Re: Anyone see the National Geographic article on Python ven

While I sympathise with you having to explain a complex biological reality to the public who wants things in easy to understand black and white, the messy reality is the reality. I am not shoe-horning data to fit a philosophy. I am simply investigating the evolutionary history of venom in reptiles. ...
by venomdoc
April 4th, 2013, 2:58 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: China post #50, HongKong, herping with Noel
Replies: 18
Views: 7892

Re: China post #50, HongKong, herping with Noel

Heatwole is a deadset legend :)
by venomdoc
April 4th, 2013, 3:43 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Squeezers and leaf-cutters paper
Replies: 2
Views: 1593

Re: Squeezers and leaf-cutters paper

During this study, I lived in constant fear of the paper going to press with me missing one of the never-ending attempts of Microsloth Word to correct rictal gland to rectal gland :crazyeyes: The only papers about rectal glands are those by He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named and 'published' in the Australasi...
by venomdoc
April 3rd, 2013, 8:57 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: China post #50, HongKong, herping with Noel
Replies: 18
Views: 7892

Re: China post #50, HongKong, herping with Noel

Nice photos.... I've herped those same drainages also with Anne :) Small world!
by venomdoc
April 2nd, 2013, 4:35 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Squeezers and leaf-cutters paper
Replies: 2
Views: 1593

Squeezers and leaf-cutters paper

After 6 years of lab work and an epic 8 month review-process war of attrition, our paper is finally out in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics. :beer: Here is the link to the in-press version http://www.venomdoc.com/downloads/2013_Fry_Squeezers_Leaf_cutters.pdf Some high-light points: - Doctors in A...
by venomdoc
December 6th, 2012, 12:11 am
Forum: Reading Room
Topic: PAPER Complex cocktails: the evolutionary novelty of venoms
Replies: 2
Views: 2761

PAPER Complex cocktails: the evolutionary novelty of venoms

Our review for TREE (Trends in Ecology & Evolution) on venom evolution has been finally published :)

Here is the download link. I hope you enjoy :beer:

http://www.venomdoc.com/downloads/2012_ ... _early.pdf
by venomdoc
November 26th, 2012, 11:16 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Cape York Peninsula: Weipa (Australia)
Replies: 15
Views: 8948

Re: Cape York Peninsula: Weipa (Australia)

It is a very special place indeed :) I've been going up there for 15 years now and it is magic :)
by venomdoc
November 24th, 2012, 4:48 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New paper on sea snake higher order relationships
Replies: 7
Views: 2862

Re: New paper on sea snake higher order relationships

Yes WW, you are correct. I forgot about the marine file snakes (which is ironic since we pull quite a few in the bays when going after sea snakes). Which largely sticks to in-shore environments but in pure salt water.
by venomdoc
November 23rd, 2012, 4:49 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Cape York Peninsula: Weipa (Australia)
Replies: 15
Views: 8948

Re: Cape York Peninsula: Weipa (Australia)

Nice photos :) It was good to catch up with you guys. Sorry we didn't have more time. We had an extremely packed schedule and finished up the week totally drained from the very long days.
by venomdoc
November 23rd, 2012, 2:44 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New paper on sea snake higher order relationships
Replies: 7
Views: 2862

Re: New paper on sea snake higher order relationships

Fully marine no. Homalopsidae snakes however are entirely aquatic and many live in the intertidal zone which is brackish. The extinct giant constrictor Titanoboa would have been almost entirely aquatic, particularly as adults, but in the fresh water of the Amazonian drainage system.
by venomdoc
November 23rd, 2012, 10:54 am
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New paper on sea snake higher order relationships
Replies: 7
Views: 2862

Re: New paper on sea snake higher order relationships

Or very very simple if viewed objectively :) The species-species relationships within the genus Hydrophis are extremely unresolved due to the recent explosive radiation. However the relationships between genera are very well-resolved.
by venomdoc
November 22nd, 2012, 11:35 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: New paper on sea snake higher order relationships
Replies: 7
Views: 2862

New paper on sea snake higher order relationships

An absolutely excellent paper by Kate Sanders on the higher order relationships of sea snakes. Showing that many of the ones in smaller genera (Disteira, Enhydrina, Kerilia, Lapemis, Pelamis and Thalassophina) are actually inside of Hydrophis because of a very rapid radiation of this core group. So ...
by venomdoc
October 15th, 2012, 12:35 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Paper: Enhydrina schistosa is two unrelated species
Replies: 15
Views: 4673

Re: Paper: Enhydrina schistosa is two unrelated species

I am of the firm opinion that publically funded science should be freely available :)
by venomdoc
October 11th, 2012, 3:07 pm
Forum: The Forum
Topic: Paper: Enhydrina schistosa is two unrelated species
Replies: 15
Views: 4673

Re: Paper: Enhydrina schistosa is two unrelated species

Brian, as mentioned in the thread already, the ranges to not overlap and, if you look at the paper, you'll see that they are nowhere near each other on the sea snake evolutionary tree. So they are not close relatives at all. There are quite a number of other sea snakes in between them. So making the...