DOCSLIB.ORG

Mating Season of the Japanese Mamushi, Agkistrodon Blomhoffii Blomhoffii (Viperidae: Crotalinae), in Southern Kyushu, Japan: Relation with Female Ovarian Development

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Mating Season of the Japanese Mamushi, Agkistrodon Blomhoffii Blomhoffii (Viperidae: Crotalinae), in Southern Kyushu, Japan: Relation with Female Ovarian Development Japanese Journal of Herpetology 16(2): 42-48., Dec. 1995 (C)1995 by The HerpetologicalSociety of Japan Mating Season of the Japanese Mamushi, Agkistrodon blomhoffii blomhoffii (Viperidae: Crotalinae), in Southern Kyushu, Japan: Relation with Female Ovarian Development KIYOSHI ISOGAWA AND MASAHIDE KATO Abstract: Mating in the southern Kyushu population of the Japanese mamushi, Agkistrodon blomhoffii blomhoffii, occurred in August and September. The largest ovarian follicles of mated females were 6mm or more in length, whereas those of unmated females were usually less than 6mm in length. In addition, body mass was significantly greater in mated females than in unmated ones. These suggest that in females of the Japanese mamushi, mating is strongly associated with ovarian follicle development and body mass. Key words: Mamushi; Agkistrodon blomhoffii blomhoffii; Mating season; Follicle development; Sexual receptivity Many reports have been published on the the southern Kyushu, Japan and to examine the mating season of snakes of the genus relation of the occurrence of mating with Agkistrodon (Allen and Swindell, 1948; Behler ovarian development, body size, and nutritional and King, 1979; Burchfield, 1982; Fitch, 1960; conditions in females. Gloyd, 1934; Huang et al., 1990; Laszlo, 1979; Li et al., 1992; Wright and Wright, 1957). MATERIALSAND METHODS Fukada (1972) surmised that mating in the Animals. -Forty-five mature females and the Japanese mamushi, Agkistrodon blomhoffii same number of mature males of Agkistrodon blomhoffii, as well as in many of the colubrids of blomhoffii blomhoffii were used. All were cap- Japan, occurs in May and June. No data, tured in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan during however, have been obtained for the mating the summer of 1989. Until the beginning of the season of the Japanese mamushi. experiment, the females and males were kept In snakes, male courtship is generally evoked separately from the other sex in outdoor by an attractiveness stimulus from a female, and enclosures. Mice were supplied as food. In mating occurs when the female is sexually recep- advance of the experiment, the posterior ends tive (Garstka and Crews, 1982; Ross and Crews, of the female reproductive tracts were examined 1977; Whittier and Crews, 1986). Thus, it seems to confirm the absence of spermatozoa by the to be possible to define female sexual attractivity smear method (Gloyd, 1934; Rahn, 1940), by the occurrence of male courtship, and female because spermatozoa deposited in females of A. sexual receptivity by the incidence of actual b. blomhoffii through copulation are stored in copulation (Crews, 1976; Whittier and Tokarz, these regions (Isogawa, 1986). 1992). In addition, it has been reported that in Experiment and housing. -The experiment female snakes, sexual attractivity seems to be was conducted from 10 April to 20 November induced by heavy feeding which results in the 1990. At the beginning of the experiment, all increase of liver and fat-body masses (Garstka snakes were removed from the artificial hiber- and Crews, 1982; Macartney and Gregory, 1988), nacula where they had hibernated, and were and sexual receptivity seems to be dependent on separated into three breeding groups, each con- ovarian follicle development, which is related to sisting of 15 females and 15 males. Snakes in body size (Hawley and Aleksiuk, 1976). The each group were housed together in an outdoor purpose of the present study is to clarify the enclosure (5m x 3m), in which a shelter and a mating season of the Japanese mamushi from basian for water were provided and weeds were allowed to grow. As food, as many mice as Accepted 29, Oct. 1995 there were snakes were dropped into each ISOGAWA AND KATO-MATING OF MAMUSHI 43 TABLE 1. Number of female Japanese mamushi, Females which did not mate in the course of Agkistrodon b. blomhoffii, possessing spermatozoa the experiment were killed for control data at the in the posterior ends of the reproductive end of the experiment. Measurement data from tracts in each month during the three breeding groups were combined and the experiment. compared between mated and unmated females. Statistical analyses. -Differences between means of measurements in mated and unmated females were analyzed for statistical significance by Student's t-test when variances were homogeneous, and by Cochran t-test (Gad and Weil, 1982) when variances were heteroge- neous. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was also applied using SVL as a covariate for body mass, and body mass for the other mea- surements. RESULTS enclosure once a week throughtout the experi- Six females died during the experiment. At ment period. necropsy, no spermatozoa were observed in At the end of each month except October and these specimens. on the last day of the experiment, all females Number of females with spermatozoa. -Nine were examined for the presence or absence of females had numerous spermatozoa in the spermatozoa in the posterior ends of the posterior ends of their reproductive tracts on 31 reproductive tracts by the method described August, and 18 females on 30 September. These above. When a given female possessed sper- females were considered to have mated during matozoa (mated), the individual was either August and September, respectively. No other immediately isolated into an outdoor enclosure females possessed spermatozoa throughout the where it was kept until the late autumn of the study period (Table 1). following year for the observation of its parturi- Comparisons in measurements. -Four of the tion, or killed and measured for snout-vent females which mated in August and 11 in length (SVL; cm) and body mass (g). Liver and September were randomly selected and killed on abdominal fat-body masses (g) and the number 31 August and 30 September, respectively. and length of ovarian follicles of the killed Twelve females which did not mate throughout specimens were also measured as criteria for the experiment period were also killed on 20 nutritional and ovarian conditions, respective- November. Then the following comparisons ly. Measurements of the follicle length were were made between the 15 mated and 12 made to the nearest half-millimeter with a clear unmated females. plastic ruler. Data from both ovaries were Means of the measurements were compared combined for each specimen. Atretic follicles between the mated and unmated females using (Isogawa et al., 1989) were excluded from the t-tests (Table 2). SVL exhibited no significant data. difference between the mated and unmated TABLE2. Comparisons of snout-vent length, body, liver, and fat-body masses, length of the largest follicle, and the total number of follicles between mated and unmated females of the Japanese mamushi, Agkistrodon b. blomhoffii. Data are presented as mean±standard deviation. n. s.: not significant at p=0.05. 44 Jpn. J. Herpetol. 16 (2). 1995 TABLE 3. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) of body mass on SVL and of liver and fat-body masses, length of the largest follicle, and the total number of follicles on body mass between mated (N=15) and unmated females (N=12) of the Japanese mamushi, Agkistrodon b. blomhoffii. Values in table are F- ratios. FIG. 1. Relationship between snout-vent length (SVL) and body mass in mated (N=15, closed circles) and unmated females (N=12, open circles) of the females. The other measurements were Japanese mamushi, Agkistrodon b. blomhoffii. significantly greater in the mated females than in Regression lines are shown by solid (mated females) the unmated ones. and broken lines (unmated females). ANCOVA show- The results of ANCOVA are shown in Table 3 ed significant difference in elevation, but not in slope and Figs. 1 and 2. Regression equation, correla- (Table 3). tion coefficient, and probability for each com- bination in the mated and unmated females were Reproduction of mated females in the subse- as follows: SVL vs. body mass (Fig. 1), mated: quent year. -The 12 females which had mated in Y=4.82X-123.99, r=0.84, p<0.001; unmated: August and September were housed in an out- Y=2.07X-17.17, r=0.47, p>0.05. Body mass door enclosure until late autumn of the follow- vs. liver mass (Fig. 2A), mated: Y= ing year. Of these, one died soon after 0.03X+1.96, r=0.64, p<0.05; unmated: Y= emergence from hibernation, and two did not 0.05X-0.31, r=0.73, p<0.01. Body mass vs. reproduce in 1991. The remaining nine gave fat-body mass (Fig. 2B), mated: Y=0.13X- birth to 5-13 (x=7.9) young and four of them 1.96, r=0.67, p<0.01; unmated: Y=0.10X- also produced one or two (five in total) stillborn 0.77, r=0.43, p>0.05. Body mass vs. length young and two to five (13 in total) unfertile eggs of the largest follicle (Fig. 2C), mated: in the period of 27 August through 20 September Y=0.02X+5.17, r=0.40, p>0.05; unmated: 1991. Y=0.04X+1.48, r=0.74, p<0.01. Body mass vs. the total number of follicles (Fig. 2D), DISCUSSION mated: Y=0.23X+0.67, r=0.47, p>0.05; Mating season. -Marzec (1980) observed unmated: Y=0.02X+14.84, r=0.06, p>0.05. copulation of A. b. blomhoffii on 7 June 1964. There were no significant differences in slopes However, his specimens, the locality of which of any combinations between the mated and was not described, had been kept under com- unmated females. Elevations of SVL vs. body pletely artificial conditions all year round. In mass and body mass vs. length of the largest the present study, females possessing sper- follicle differed significantly between the mated matozoa in the posterior ends of the reproduc- and unmated females, whereas those of the other tive tracts were found only in August and three combinations did not differ significantly September.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Snake Charming and the Exploitation of Snakes in Morocco
    Snake charming and the exploitation of snakes in Morocco J UAN M. PLEGUEZUELOS,MÓNICA F ERICHE,JOSÉ C. BRITO and S OUMÍA F AHD Abstract Traditional activities that potentially threaten bio- also for clothing, tools, medicine and pets, as well as in diversity represent a challenge to conservationists as they try magic and religious activities (review in Alves & Rosa, to reconcile the cultural dimensions of such activities. ). Vertebrates, particularly reptiles, have frequently Quantifying the impact of traditional activities on biodiver- been used for traditional medicine. Alves et al. () iden- sity is always helpful for decision making in conservation. In tified reptile species ( families, genera) currently the case of snake charming in Morocco, the practice was in- used in traditional folk medicine, % of which are included troduced there years ago by the religious order the on the IUCN Red List (IUCN, ) and/or the CITES Aissawas, and is now an attraction in the country’s growing Appendices (CITES, ). Among the reptile species tourism industry. As a consequence wild snake populations being used for medicine, % are snakes. may be threatened by overexploitation. The focal species for Snakes have always both fascinated and repelled people, snake charming, the Egyptian cobra Naja haje, is undergo- and the reported use of snakes in magic and religious activ- ing both range and population declines. We estimated the ities is global (Alves et al., ). The sacred role of snakes level of exploitation of snakes based on field surveys and may be related to a traditional association with health and questionnaires administered to Aissawas during – eternity in some cultures (Angeletti et al., ) and many , and compared our results with those of a study con- species are under pressure from exploitation as a result ducted years previously.
    [Show full text]
  • Comprehensive Snake Venomics of the Okinawa Habu Pit Viper, Protobothrops Flavoviridis, by Complementary Mass Spectrometry-Guided Approaches
    Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 6 July 2018 doi:10.20944/preprints201807.0123.v1 Peer-reviewed version available at Molecules 2018, 23, 1893; doi:10.3390/molecules23081893 Article Comprehensive Snake Venomics of the Okinawa Habu Pit Viper, Protobothrops Flavoviridis, by Complementary Mass Spectrometry-Guided Approaches Maik Damm 1,┼, Benjamin-Florian Hempel 1,┼, Ayse Nalbantsoy 2 and Roderich D. Süssmuth 1,* 1 Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany; [email protected] (M.D.); [email protected] (B.-F.H.) 2 Department of Bioengineering, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; [email protected] (A.N.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +49-30-314-24205 ┼ These authors contributed equal to this work Abstract: The Asian world is home to a multitude of venomous and dangerous snakes, which are attributed to various medical effects used in the preparation of traditional snake tinctures and alcoholics, like the Japanese snake wine, named Habushu. The aim of this work was to perform the first quantitative proteomic analysis of the Protobothrops flavoviridis pit viper venom. Accordingly, the venom was analyzed by complimentary bottom-up and top-down mass spectrometry techniques. The mass spectrometry-based snake venomics approach revealed that more than half of the venom is composed of different phospholipases A2 (PLA2). The combination with an intact mass profiling led to the identification of the three main Habu PLA2s. Furthermore, nearly one-third of the total venom consists of snake venom metalloproteinases and disintegrins, and several minor represented toxins families were detected: CTL, CRISP, svSP, LAAO, PDE and 5’-nucleotidase.
    [Show full text]
  • WHO Guidance on Management of Snakebites
    GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SNAKEBITES 2nd Edition GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SNAKEBITES 2nd Edition 1. 2. 3. 4. ISBN 978-92-9022- © World Health Organization 2016 2nd Edition All rights reserved. Requests for publications, or for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications, whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution, can be obtained from Publishing and Sales, World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia, Indraprastha Estate, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110 002, India (fax: +91-11-23370197; e-mail: publications@ searo.who.int). The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.
    [Show full text]
  • (Gloydius Blomhoffii) Antivenom in Japan, Korea, and China
    Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 59, 20-24, 2006 Original Article Standardization of Regional Reference for Mamushi (Gloydius blomhoffii) Antivenom in Japan, Korea, and China Tadashi Fukuda*, Masaaki Iwaki, Seung Hwa Hong1, Ho Jung Oh1, Zhu Wei2, Kazunori Morokuma3, Kunio Ohkuma3, Lei Dianliang4, Yoshichika Arakawa and Motohide Takahashi Department of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Infection Control, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 208-0011; 3First, Production Department, Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Research Institute, Kumamoto 860-8568, Japan; 1Korea Food and Drug Administration, Soul 122-704, Korea; 2Shanghai Institute of Biological Products, Shanghai 200052; and 4Department of Serum, National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products, Beijing 10050, People’s Republic of China (Received June 27, 2005. Accepted November 11, 2005) SUMMARY: The mamushi (Gloydius blomhoffii) snakes that inhabit Japan, Korea, and China produce venoms with similar serological characters to each other. Individual domestic standard mamushi antivenoms have been used for national quality control (potency testing) of mamushi antivenom products in these countries, because of the lack of an international standard material authorized by the World Health Organization. This precludes comparison of the results of product potency testing among countries. We established a regional reference antivenom for these three Asian countries. This collaborative study indicated that the regional reference mamushi antivenom has an anti-lethal titer of 33,000 U/vial and anti-hemorrhagic titer of 36,000 U/vial. This reference can be used routinely for quality control, including national control of mamushi antivenom products. reference antivenom. INTRODUCTION In the present study, the potency of a candidate regional Snakebites are a threat to human life in areas inhabited by reference mamushi antivenom produced by Shanghai Insti- poisonous snakes.
    [Show full text]
  • Venomics of Trimeresurus (Popeia) Nebularis, the Cameron Highlands Pit Viper from Malaysia: Insights Into Venom Proteome, Toxicity and Neutralization of Antivenom
    toxins Article Venomics of Trimeresurus (Popeia) nebularis, the Cameron Highlands Pit Viper from Malaysia: Insights into Venom Proteome, Toxicity and Neutralization of Antivenom Choo Hock Tan 1,*, Kae Yi Tan 2 , Tzu Shan Ng 2, Evan S.H. Quah 3 , Ahmad Khaldun Ismail 4 , Sumana Khomvilai 5, Visith Sitprija 5 and Nget Hong Tan 2 1 Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 2 Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; [email protected] (K.Y.T.); [email protected] (T.S.N.); [email protected] (N.H.T.) 3 School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia; [email protected] 4 Department of Emergency Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; [email protected] 5 Thai Red Cross Society, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; [email protected] (S.K.); [email protected] (V.S.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 31 December 2018; Accepted: 30 January 2019; Published: 6 February 2019 Abstract: Trimeresurus nebularis is a montane pit viper that causes bites and envenomation to various communities in the central highland region of Malaysia, in particular Cameron’s Highlands. To unravel the venom composition of this species, the venom proteins were digested by trypsin and subjected to nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for proteomic profiling. Snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMP) dominated the venom proteome by 48.42% of total venom proteins, with a characteristic distribution of P-III: P-II classes in a ratio of 2:1, while P-I class was undetected.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecology, Behavior and Conservation of the Japanese Mamushi Snake, Gloydius Blomhoffii: Variation in Compromised and Uncompromised Populations
    ECOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND CONSERVATION OF THE JAPANESE MAMUSHI SNAKE, GLOYDIUS BLOMHOFFII: VARIATION IN COMPROMISED AND UNCOMPROMISED POPULATIONS By KIYOSHI SASAKI Bachelor of Arts/Science in Zoology Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 1999 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December, 2006 ECOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND CONSERVATION OF THE JAPANESE MAMUSHI SNAKE, GLOYDIUS BLOMHOFFII: VARIATION IN COMPROMISED AND UNCOMPROMISED POPULATIONS Dissertation Approved: Stanley F. Fox Dissertation Adviser Anthony A. Echelle Michael W. Palmer Ronald A. Van Den Bussche A. Gordon Emslie Dean of the Graduate College ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I sincerely thank the following people for their significant contribution in my pursuit of a Ph.D. degree. I could never have completed this work without their help. Dr. David Duvall, my former mentor, helped in various ways until the very end of his career at Oklahoma State University. This study was originally developed as an undergraduate research project under Dr. Duvall. Subsequently, he accepted me as his graduate student and helped me expand the project to this Ph.D. research. He gave me much key advice and conceptual ideas for this study. His encouragement helped me to get through several difficult times in my pursuit of a Ph.D. degree. He also gave me several books as a gift and as an encouragement to complete the degree. Dr. Stanley Fox kindly accepted to serve as my major adviser after Dr. Duvall’s departure from Oklahoma State University and involved himself and contributed substantially to this work, including analysis and editing.
    [Show full text]
  • Venom Proteomics and Antivenom Neutralization for the Chinese
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Venom proteomics and antivenom neutralization for the Chinese eastern Russell’s viper, Daboia Received: 27 September 2017 Accepted: 6 April 2018 siamensis from Guangxi and Taiwan Published: xx xx xxxx Kae Yi Tan1, Nget Hong Tan1 & Choo Hock Tan2 The eastern Russell’s viper (Daboia siamensis) causes primarily hemotoxic envenomation. Applying shotgun proteomic approach, the present study unveiled the protein complexity and geographical variation of eastern D. siamensis venoms originated from Guangxi and Taiwan. The snake venoms from the two geographical locales shared comparable expression of major proteins notwithstanding variability in their toxin proteoforms. More than 90% of total venom proteins belong to the toxin families of Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor, phospholipase A2, C-type lectin/lectin-like protein, serine protease and metalloproteinase. Daboia siamensis Monovalent Antivenom produced in Taiwan (DsMAV-Taiwan) was immunoreactive toward the Guangxi D. siamensis venom, and efectively neutralized the venom lethality at a potency of 1.41 mg venom per ml antivenom. This was corroborated by the antivenom efective neutralization against the venom procoagulant (ED = 0.044 ± 0.002 µl, 2.03 ± 0.12 mg/ml) and hemorrhagic (ED50 = 0.871 ± 0.159 µl, 7.85 ± 3.70 mg/ ml) efects. The hetero-specifc Chinese pit viper antivenoms i.e. Deinagkistrodon acutus Monovalent Antivenom and Gloydius brevicaudus Monovalent Antivenom showed negligible immunoreactivity and poor neutralization against the Guangxi D. siamensis venom. The fndings suggest the need for improving treatment of D. siamensis envenomation in the region through the production and the use of appropriate antivenom. Daboia is a genus of the Viperinae subfamily (family: Viperidae), comprising a group of vipers commonly known as Russell’s viper native to the Old World1.
    [Show full text]
  • Injuries and Envenomation by Exotic Pets in Hong Kong Vember CH Ng, Albert CH Lit, of Wong *, ML Tse, HT Fung
    Original Article Injuries and envenomation by exotic pets in Hong Kong Vember CH Ng, Albert CH Lit, OF Wong *, ML Tse, HT Fung ABSTRACT effects, and six cases with mild effects. All major effects were related to venomous snakebites. There Exotic pets are increasingly popular Introduction: were no mortalities. in Hong Kong and include fish, amphibians, reptiles, and arthropods. Some of these exotic Conclusion: All human injuries from exotic pets animals are venomous and may cause injuries to arose from reptiles, scorpions, and fish. All cases of and envenomation of their owners. The clinical major envenomation were inflicted by snakes. experience of emergency physicians in the management of injuries and envenomation by these exotic animals is limited. We reviewed the clinical Hong Kong Med J 2018;24:48–55 features and outcomes of injuries and envenomation DOI: 10.12809/hkmj176984 by exotic pets recorded by the Hong Kong Poison 1 VCH Ng, FHKCEM, FHKAM (Emergency Medicine) Information Centre. 2 ACH Lit, FRCSEd, FHKAM (Emergency Medicine) Methods: We retrospectively retrieved and reviewed 2 OF Wong *, FHKAM (Anaesthesiology), FHKAM (Emergency Medicine) 1 cases of injuries and envenomation by exotic pets ML Tse, FHKCEM, FHKAM (Emergency Medicine) 3 HT Fung, recorded by the Hong Kong Poison Information FRCSEd, FHKAM (Emergency Medicine) Centre from 1 July 2008 to 31 March 2017. 1 Hong Kong Poison Information Centre, United Christian Hospital, Kwun Results: There were 15 reported cases of injuries Tong, Hong Kong 2 Accident and Emergency Department, North Lantau Hospital, Tung and envenomation by exotic pets during the study Chung, Lantau, Hong Kong period, including snakebite (n=6), fish sting (n=4), 3 Accident and Emergency Department, Tuen Mun Hospital, Tuen Mun, This article was scorpion sting (n=2), lizard bite (n=2), and turtle Hong Kong published on 5 Jan bite (n=1).
    [Show full text]
  • Endangered Traditional Beliefs in Japan: Influences on Snake Conservation
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology 5(3):474–485. Submitted: 26 October 2009; 18 September 2010. ENDANGERED TRADITIONAL BELIEFS IN JAPAN: INFLUENCES ON SNAKE CONSERVATION 1 2 3 KIYOSHI SASAKI , YOSHINORI SASAKI , AND STANLEY F. FOX 1Department of Biology, Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21210, USA, e-mail: [email protected] 242-9 Nishi 24 Minami 1, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-2474, Japan 3Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA ABSTRACT.—Religious beliefs and practices attached to the environment and specific organisms are increasingly recognized to play a critical role for successful conservation. We herein document a case study in Japan with a focus on the beliefs associated with snakes. In Japan, snakes have traditionally been revered as a god, a messenger of a god, or a creature that brings a divine curse when a snake is harmed or a particular natural site is disturbed. These strong beliefs have discouraged people from harming snakes and disturbing certain habitats associated with a snake god. Thus, traditional beliefs and cultural mores are often aligned with today’s conservation ethics, and with their loss wise conservation of species and their habitats may fall by the wayside. The erosion of tradition is extensive in modern Japan, which coincides with increased snake exploitation, killing, and reduction of habitat. We recommend that conservation efforts of snakes (and other biodiversity) of Japan should include immediate, cooperative efforts to preserve and revive traditional beliefs, to collect ecological and geographical data necessary for effective conservation and management activities, and to involve the government to make traditional taboos formal institutions.
    [Show full text]
  • Cloning and Characterization of Novel Snake Venom Proteins That Block Smooth Muscle Contraction
    Eur. J. Biochem. 269, 2708–2715 (2002) Ó FEBS 2002 doi:10.1046/j.1432-1033.2002.02940.x Cloning and characterization of novel snake venom proteins that block smooth muscle contraction Yasuo Yamazaki1, Hisashi Koike1, Yusuke Sugiyama1, Kazuko Motoyoshi1, Taeko Wada1, Shigeru Hishinuma2, Mitsuo Mita2 and Takashi Morita1 Departments of 1Biochemistry; and 2Pharmacodynamics, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Tokyo, Japan In this study, we isolated a 25-kDa novel snake venom caffeine-stimulated contraction. Furthermore, we isolated protein, designated ablomin, from the venom of the Japan- three other proteins from snake venoms that are homolog- ese Mamushi snake (Agkistrodon blomhoffi). The amino-acid ous to ablomin and cloned the corresponding cDNAs. Two sequence of this protein was determined by peptide of these homologous proteins, triflin and latisemin, also sequencing and cDNA cloning. The deduced sequence inhibited high K+-induced contraction of the artery. These showed high similarity to helothermine from the Mexican results indicate that several snake venoms contain novel beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum horridum), which blocks proteins with neurotoxin-like activity. voltage-gated calcium and potassium channels, and ryano- Keywords: snake venom; neurotoxin; helothermine; cysteine- dine receptors. Ablomin blocked contraction of rat tail rich secretory proteins; ablomin. arterial smooth muscle elicited by high K+-induced depolarization in the 0.1–1 lM range, but did not block Over the past 30 years, a plethora of toxins have been homologous
    [Show full text]
  • POISONOUS REPTILES of the WORLD: a WARTIME HANDBOOK by DORIS M
    SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION WAR BACKGROUND STUDIES NUMBER TEN POISONOUS REPTILES OF THE WORLD A WARTIME HANDBOOK By DORIS M. COCHRAN (Publication 3727) CITY OF WASHINGTON PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION MARCH 19, 1943 Z2>t .Sorb Q^aftttnore (prece BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A. CONTENTS Page Introduction 1 Poisonous reptiles of the New World 2 The United States of America 2 The coral snakes 3 The pit vipers 4 The timber rattler 7 The diamondback rattler 7 The pigmy rattlesnakes 8 The water moccasin 8 The copperhead 9 Distribution of our poisonous snakes 9 The Gila monster , 10 Latin America 11 The coral snakes 11 The pit vipers 12 The rattlesnakes 12 The cantil 12 The bushmaster 13 The fer-de-lance or barba amarilla 13 The palm vipers 14 The jumping viper 14 The hognosed vipers 15 Other pit vipers 15 The semipoisonous tree snakes 16 The yellow-bellied sea snake 16 The Mexican beaded lizard 16 Poisonous reptiles of the Old World 17 Europe and northern Asia 18 The common viper and its allies 18 Orsini's and Renard's vipers 19 The asp, Lataste's and the long-nosed vipers 19 The blunt-nosed viper and its allies 20 India and Malaya 20 The vipers 20 The daboia, tic-polonga or Russell's viper 20 The carpet or saw-scaled viper 21 The pit vipers 21 The mamushi and its relatives 21 Bamboo snakes and their allies 22 Cobras and kraits 22 Indian or spectacled cobra 22 The king cobra or hamadryad 23 The kraits 23 The sea snakes 24 iii .
    [Show full text]
  • Gloydius Blomhoffii) Japan, Tel: 81 97 569 3121; Email: Ookamoto@
    Central Journal of Pharmacology & Clinical Toxicology Bringing Excellence in Open Access Review Article *Corresponding author Osamu Okamoto, Department of Dermatology, Oita City Medical Association’s Almeida Memorial Hospital, Mamushi (Gloydius blomhoffii) Japan, Tel: 81 97 569 3121; Email: ookamoto@ Submitted: 07 April 2018 Snake Bites in Japan –Current Accepted: 26 April 2018 Published: 28 April 2018 Problems and Clues to a ISSN: 2333-7079 Copyright Solution © 2018 Okamoto et al. OPEN ACCESS Osamu Okamoto1*, Rui Suzuki2, Manami Kusatsu2, Ryuta Nakashima3, Nobuhiro Inagaki3, Yoshitaka Kai4, and Hiroyuki Keywords Hashimoto2 • Mamushi bite • Gloydius blomhoffii 1 Department of Dermatology, Oita City Medical Association’s Almeida Memorial Hospital, • Prediction of severity Japan • Chelator 2Department of Plastic Surgery unit, Oita City Medical Association’s Almeida Memorial Hospital, Japan 3Department of Emergency Medicine, Oita City Medical Association’s Almeida Memorial Hospital, Japan 4Department of Dermatology, National Hospital Organization Beppu Medical Center, Japan Abstract Venomous snakes of the genus Gloydius are distributed in eastern Asia. Bites from one species, known as Japanese Mamushi, Gloydius Blomhoffii, are common in Japan. Some patients develop severe symptom, represented by rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure, and in extreme cases, death has resulted mainly due to intestinal bleeding/necrosis and perforating peritonitis. The mortality rate is estimated to be about 1 death/300 bites. The lethal cases presented with severe abdominal symptoms, including melena and ileus, and the severe cases including the lethal cases present with higher creatinine kinase values and white blood cell counts. Therefore, it was found that these are reliable indicators predicting the severity of envenomation. The severe and non-severe cases can often be distinguished by the rate of elevation of these laboratory values.
    [Show full text]