Cardiotoxic Effects of Venom from Chironex  fleckeriand Chiropsalmus  sp. on an Invertebrate Model

Carrette T. (1), Seymour J. (1)

(1) Department of Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Australia.

Abstract: Extracted venom from two species of cubozoan, Chironex fleckeri and Chiropsalmus sp., were injected into the freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus. By means of a vascular doppler, cardiac parameters heart rate and contraction amplitude were recorded, with the theoretical total heart output calculated from these two recordings. C. quadricarinatus reflects prey items utilised by these two species in the wild and so comparisons of venom action on this animal have greater ecological relevance than those of previous mammalian models used. While the results of this study reflect previous research showing that the overall potency of C. fleckeri venom is greater than that of Chiropsalmus sp. venom, the action of the venoms on the heart muscle is found to be different. Chironex fleckeri, which has the more potent venom out of these two species, is actually less effective in reducing cardiac activity than that of Chiropsalmus sp., which may be a direct reflection of the variation in primary prey being utilised by each species.

Key words: Cubozoan, venom, cardiac function, Cherax quadricarinatus, Chironex fleckeri, Chiropsalmus sp.

CORRESPONDENCE TO: 

TERESA CARRETTE, Department of Tropical Biology, James Cook University, McGregor Road, Cairns, 4878, Australia. Phone: +61-7-4042-1724. Fax: +60-7-4042-1319. Email: Teresa.Carrette@jcu.edu.au