Venomous Marine Fish: Evolution of the Venoms - Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)

Abstract

The authors discuss the presence of the toxins and venoms in fish, a common recourse of these animals used for their defense, and cite the most important families of marine and freshwater venomous fish with commentaries about the mechanisms of inoculation, biochemical characteristics of the venoms, and clinical/therapeutical aspects of the envenomations. The authors emphasize their studies on toadfish, freshwater and marine stingrays, scorpionfish, and marine and freshwater catfish, the fish most frequently associated with human injuries.