Image from Figure 4, Jin et al. 2015
Cone snails are among the most venomous animals on the planet, with some species able to kill an adult human in a matter of minutes. Some species hunt worms, some hunt other snails, and some even hunt fast-moving fish, the last of which are the most dangerous to us. Evolutionary studies suggest that ancestral cone snails were worm-eaters, and that fish-eating is a relatively new phenomenon. Which begs the question: how does a snail go from a slow-moving worm-hunter to a quick-striking fish-hunter? A team of scientists thinks they may have found the answer: the snails turned defensive toxins into attack weaponry.
Continue reading “Cone Snail Venom: The Best Offense Is A Good Defense”
