LEIDEN, Netherlands (Reuters) - More lizard families than previously believed are venomous, including several species that are popular pets, scientists said on Wednesday.

Until now, pain and swelling from lizard bites assumed to be non-venomous were attributed to the bacteria that thrive on bits of meat left between their teeth from their scavenging diet.

However, the symptoms are actually from the venom, a finding which could have implications for medical research, said Dr. Bryan Fry of the University of Melbourne, lead author of the research published online by the science journal Nature.

"The venom is the perfect knock-out punch by monitor lizards to their prey like small mammals and lizards," he told Reuters. It stops blood clotting, rapidly drops blood pressure and heightens the feeling of bite pain.

His team of international scientists isolated crotamine -- the classic venom of rattlesnakes whose bite can be fatal to humans -- in the eastern bearded dragon, a popular pet.

However, the bearded dragon's delivery system is primitive and it is present in such small amounts it would not harm a human.

Fry said Indonesia's Komodo dragon -- the world's largest lizard, weighing up to 350 lbs (160 kg) -- was also venomous.

MEDICINES

It had previously been thought that only two families of reptiles were known to have venom systems -- advanced snakes and Helodermatid lizards.

This study demonstrates there are venom toxins in two more lizard families: monitor lizards, such as the Komodo dragon, and iguania such as the bearded dragon and green iguana, but their toxin secreting glands are smaller than those of snakes.

The study effectively doubles the number of potentially venomous reptile species to 4,600 from 2,300.

"There are so many more reptiles with venom now than we previously thought. That fact itself has massive implications for a vast array of areas, whether it be evolution, drug design and development or ecology," Fry said.

Snake toxins are already widely used in medicines to treat epilepsy, haemophilia and thrombosis. The new lizard venom toxins and their molecules present a huge unexplored resource for drug design and development, according to the researchers.

"Milking the big monitors was quite simple, just gently squeezing the glands would result in 40-50 milligrams (dry weight) of liquid venom pooling at the base of the teeth," Fry said.

This means a big Komodo dragon could have more than 200 milligrams ready to delivery at any time, he said.

Fry was anxious that lizard owners should not be unduly concerned by the findings.

"If you're dinner then the venom plays a role, but if you're human it's most likely just to make your hand throb. We don't want people to suddenly be afraid of their pets," he said.

"Nor do we want any silly laws being passed against the keeping of these lizards."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051116/...ience_venom_dc

__________________
+5 bonus points to whoever finds me a job!

"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield

Matt!

*whispers*

SHHHHHHHHH! Don't tell anyone. People are stupid, remember?

(Recalls recent legislation in home state banning keeping any venomous animal, including native garter snakes.)

__________________
1.4.0 cornsnakes
2.0.3 firebelly toads
1.2.0 redfoot tortoises
3.2.0 ball pythons
1.2.0 beardies
1.0.0 asian water monitor
1.1.0 burmese pythons
1.1.0 basilisks
0.1.0 black tree monitor
1.0.0 Green Iguana
0.1.0 chinese water dragon
2.2.0 redtail boas
1.0.0 CA rock python
1.0.0 emperor scorpion
1.2.0 leopard geckos

actionplant.com

Greaaatttt! I have a hard enough time getting my dad to let me keep lizards, now he'll use this as another reason to try to get rid of some

__________________

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

I read notheeeng! But Ill save Marsha from the pain. She can send me all the Bearded Dragons.

__________________
Fran
January 9, 1940 - June 1, 2006 (R.I.P)

Ohhh! Does this mean that all of those people who brag about having "hots" are no cooler than me with my venomous Bearded Dragon? I still don't think they'll accept me...haha...

Them: "I keep cobras"
Me: "Yeah I have a bearded dragon, his venom can irritate your skin!"
Them:"Wow...you're hardcore..."

__________________

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

LMAO, Moshpitrockchick!!

VERY interesting article, Matt; cool stuff. But I agree 100% with Actionplant... SHHhhhh!!!

__________________
Andrea

lol - that's a good conversation to have MPRC!! That was very good to read Matt. As some of you may know, we are having major prbolems in the UK at the moment with the RSPCA and DEFRA trying to ban the keeping off exotic pets so I too totally agree with Actionplant that this news is definitely best kept quiet lol (lets not give them the fuel they need to burn their fires!!)

My husband got bitten quite hard by one of our Timor monitors. When I told him of this discovery this morning he said it didn't surprise him and described what the bite was like. It matched what Dr. Fry said in this article. Here is another article in an Aussie publication: http://www.smh.com.au/news/science/v...?oneclick=true

In agreement with Andrea and Actionplanet. ssssshhhhh...how do you expect me to sell these adorable little babies with this discovery .

Fran...if you behave, I might send you one.

__________________
MARSHA
A man without a woman is a bachelor, A woman without a man is a genius!.

We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart!

I'm in for it now. Do you know what's going to happen when Becca reads this thread? I'll just have to tell her that Fran NEVER behaves. Last night she was ooohing and aaahing as I was checking out your youngsters.

__________________
Fran
January 9, 1940 - June 1, 2006 (R.I.P)