Relationship between food and venom production in the estuarine stonefish Synanceia horrida.

BACKGROUND

The potential costs of venom production may be significant to many marine venomous taxa. In general, the parameters that influence the rate of venom production are poorly understood, but seem to be related to feeding frequency.

METHODS

This study examines the effects of starvation on venom profile and venom yield on the estuarine stonefish (Synanceia horrida). In total, the venom of eight stonefishes was tested under two feeding regimes. Over a four week period, one of the two groups underwent an episode of suspended feeding, while the other was fed on a daily basis. The effect of time on venom replacement was determined by a paired T-test. ANOVA was performed to analyze differences in venom weight between fed and unfed treatments.

RESULTS

Nutritional suspension was found to have a significant effect on the quantity of venom produced. SDS-PAGE gel and FPLC revealed that the components of the venom collected from both groups were similar, indicating that four weeks is an adequate time to regenerate key venom components but not replenish initial venom quantities.

CONCLUSIONS

Venom production was found to be affected by starvation.