The “underground zoo” — the problem of exotic venomous snakes in private possession in the United States

SAVwcE, J . M . (Department of Biological Sciences and Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, U .S .A .) The systematic status of Central American frogs confused with Eleutheralactylus cruentus. Pros. biol. Soc. Wash . 94, 413 (1981) .

Eleutherodactylus cerasinus, E. cruentus, and E. riders, three superficially similar species from lower Central America, are re-diagnosed . Direct comparisons of type material show that E pemhae Barbour, 1928, and E. tiptoni Lynch, 1964, are synonyms of E. cerasinus; Syrrhophus lutosus Barbour and Dunn, 1921, E. dubitus Taylor, 1952, and E marsbar Lynch, 1964 are synonyms of E. cruentus; and Syrrhopus molinoi Barbour, 1928 is a synonym of E. riderrs. (Author's abstract) BwUVCH, W . R . Venomous snakes of southern Africa . 3 . Concluding part: Colubridae . Snake 14, 1 (1982) . A VERY USABLE key to the venomous colubrids in southern Africa, with sections on identification, distribution, biology and references to the clinical manifestations of their bites . F . E . RUSSELL $AKA, A . Note on the extraction of snake venoms at the Japan Snake Institute. snake 14, 61 (1982) . A xEPORr on extraction data in 17 species and subspecies of venomous snakes over a four-year period . The data confirm the findings of previous workers that on short periods of milking, venoms are depleted, while milkings at one-month intervals have little effect on the weight of the gross product . F . E . RUSSELL Ax~rov, T . F ., O~ntwrov, M., ROSENSTEIN, I . A ., Swn~xov, A . S . and YuxEL~soN, L . Yw . (Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Institute of Biochemistry, Uzbek Academy of Sciences, Tashkent, U .S.S .R .) Shape and geometrical parameters of phospholipase A, molecule of Central Asian cobra venom according to the data of X-ray small angle scattering . Studio biophys. Jl7, 287 (1982) . PHOSPHOLIPASE A, of the venom of Central Asian cobra Ngja oxiana Eichx~ald is a membrane-active acid protein with a molecular weight of 13,000. The measurements of the intensity of X-ray small angle scattering were carried out in order to obtain information about shape and eometrical size of the phosphoGpase A, molecule. The radius of gyration of phospholipase A, R = 19 .1 f 0 .8 ~ was determined by data arising from the initial part of the scattering curve (Guinia region). T~re molecule volume Y = 48 950 t 4 000 A, was calculated from the scattering intensity path in the region of the main maXimum . The best coincidence of the experimentally obtained scattering curve was observed with those for a model elliptical cylinder or hollow cylinder . The calculation of the model volume of elliptical cylinders showed a good agreement with the phospholipase volume . It is concluded that the phospholipase A, molecule has a shape of an elliptical cylinder with following geometrical sizes : a = 28 .4 A, b = 37 .9 A, h/2 = 7 .6 A . H . P . KOLM

Lucr, CH . B . (Casuariestraat 16, NL-2511 VB Den Haag, The Netherlands) Case reports on control of Biomphalaria pjejjferi snails with Phytolacra dodecmulra berries . Trop. C.eogr. Med. 34, 123 (1982) . TrmEE case reports are given on the control of Biomphalaria pfej/feri, the intermediate snailhost of Schistosoma mansoni, occurring in the highlands of Ethiopia. Control was effected by applying Phytolacca dodernndra berry suspensions on two different rivers . A method of application by siphoning the suspension into the river is described . Both rivers were densely populated with B. pfe~jjeri, but with only 2.5-3 .5 kg of berries their presence could be reduced to almost nil . Except for fish, the water fauna was not affected . However, 4 weeks after treatment fish was again present . H . P . KOLM (Author's abstract) TRES[Rw1L, J. H . (Western Michigan Poison Center, 1840 Wealthy SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, U .S .A .) The "underground zoo" - the problem of exotic venomous snakes in private possession in the United States . Yet. Hum. Toxic. 24, Suppl ., 144 (1982) . SrAnsrtcs are valuable, sometimes necessary, to decide about the relevance of a medical problem . So in snake biu envenomation, questions of numbers of bites and percentage of fatalities are important. These figures usually include bites from native snakes only, and in these canes treatment is more or less a routine . There exists, however, a so called "underground zoo" in which private collectors kap venomous snakes, either for rnmmacial purposes or just as pets . In those "underground zoos" exotic vrnomous snakes are kept as well, and in these cases snakebite may be hazardous .

Reviews

325

This most interesting and valuable paper deals with the situation in the U.S ., based on data from Regional Poison Centers, National Snakebite Consultants, Herpetological Sodeties, Antivenin Resource Centers and Literature Reviews. It brings up possible solutions and proposals for check-lists. Even though the problem of a bite by an exotic venomous snake in the U.S . is a rare one, it cannot be denied that it exists . It might, ea well, exist in other countries, too, and I know from my own experience (in Germany) that a number of envenomations by animals do not occur from the few venomous native spedes but from exotics kept by amateur collectors. One should, therefore, carry out surveys such as this one for other countries too, to get a true picture of this situation. G. HABERMEHL

Mwxxwx, H. P. S. and Dwwaw, R. K. (Biochemistry Laboratory, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Regional Station, Palampur (H .P.}176061, India) Biochemical changes in hepatic microsoma of guineapig under lantana toxidty. Xenobiotirn 12, 265 (1982) . Lwxrwlvw intoxication of guinea-pig caused a decrease in hepatic microsomal protein content, the phospholipid :protein ratio, and the cholesterol:protein ratio. Activities of aniline hydroxylaae, aminopyrine Ndemethylase, NADH~ytochrome c reductase, NADH-ferricyanide reductase, UDP-glucuronosyl transferase, cytochrome P~50 and glucose 6-phosphatase were decreased. Activities of Mg'.-ATPase and Na'-K'-ATPase were increased. However, activities of 3'-nudeotidase and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase were unaffected . The liver endoplasmic reticulum is an important target organelle during lantana poisoning of guinea-pigs. (Authors' abstract) H. P. KOLM $HARMw, O. P.,

U. and VOLLAND, W., Futtertlerlucht. Stuttgart: Verlag Eugen Ulmer (1981) (in German). 168 pp . PROTECTION ACrs make it more and more difficult to collect animals, even venomous ones . This may be at least one out of many reasons why amphibia and reptiles have to be kept in laboratories . It is a well-known fact that feeding of these animals can become a problem, as they need conditions similar to their natural biotope for a healthy life, and especially for their reproduction. This refers in a high degree to their nutrition. It is important, for example, to provide live animals as food, but there are only a few speda available in pet shops. Breeding of food animals, therefore, is of advantage. Tltis book is a good adviser in this field, firstly reporting on criteria for breeding, and in a second part, breeding conditions for all animals important in vivaristics. A book that can be recommended to all those keeping animals in their laboratory. G. HAHERA~HL FRIEDERICH,

G. Venomous Animals and Their Toxins, Berlin: Springer-Verlag (1982). book, first published in German in 1976 [see Taxiton 15, 368 (1977)] but enlarged in its present English version, fills the void so often left by similar short works on the subject, in that it provides the reader with well-balanced discussions on most of the medically-important venomous and poisonous animals of the world. Each section - Cnidaria, Molluscs, Arthropods, Echinodermata, Pisces, Amphibia and Reptilia - is further divided into subsections on the nature of the poisoning, chemistry and some general remarks on the treatment of the bite, sting or ingestion of the animals. The section on Amplnbia is particularly valuable and is perhaps the most thorough review to date on the poisons of this class of animals. The tables, drawings and distribution maps are well prepared and the subject index is adequate. There is a short reference list at the end of each dutpter. This reviewer has found only one possible shortcoming in the book . Material is often dted without nfd~eadng, so that the reader interested in more particulars on data or on opinion might find it difficult to find the source of the entry. Further, names are quoted in the text but do not appear in the references at the end of the dtapter, and in some cases the nferendng does not seem as spedfic as it should for the data presented. The references as a whole are certainly not as adequate as Professor Habermehl is capable of presenting. Perhaps there has been some txhnical error or a limitation on space. This book is particularly suited for anyone interested in ageneral review of venomous and poisonous animals and their toxins . Aa the author notes, the book is not intended to take the plea of more definitive texts on each subject, but it presents an "overview" of the field of tauânology. In this reviewer's opinion the prindpel contribution of the book is the presentation of the sections on thechemistry of venons . Hen it is suited for both undergraduate and graduate studies, and even handy for experts in the disdpline. The text is a fine short nferena work for anyone interested in animal toxins and should be on every library acquisition list . F. E. RIJSSELL HABERMEHL, THIS LITTLE