A REVIEW OF THE VENOMOUS TOADFISHES. 



By Barton A. Bean and Alfred C. Weed, 



Ofihi Division of Fishes, U.S. National Museum. 



The venomous toadfishes, genera Thalassophryne and Thalassoihia, 

 arc distinguished not alone from other members of the family Ba- 

 trachoididse but from all other fishes, so far as known, by the posses- 

 sion of spines which are perforated for the passage of a venom canal 

 similar to that in the fang of a serpent. (See figs. 1-2.) It is prob- 

 able that nearly all members of the family have the poison glands 

 more or less well developed, but, so far as is known, in only the two 

 genera mentioned are the spines perforated. Some other species 

 have the spines more or less grooved. (See fig. 3.) The presence 

 of poison glands and of specialized organs for introducing the secre- 

 tion of these glands into the bodies of other animals is not at all 



Fig. 1.— Dorsal spine of Fig. 2.— Opercular spine of Fig. 3.— Opercular spine 



Thalassophryne dowi. Thalassophryne dowi. of Porichthysgeeenei. 



uncommon in fishes and is not confined to any one group or family; 

 also it is not necessarily a characteristic of all members of any group 

 where it may be found. 



The presence of venomous organs among fishes has been denied 

 more or less strongly at limes, but is now well proven in many cases 

 and will doubtless be shown in many others as a result of careful 

 study with proper apparatus and manipulation. It has been long 

 known that the wounds caused by the spines of certain fishes pro- 

 duced symptoms far more serious than could be accounted for by 

 the mere mechanical laceration produced by the spines. In some 

 of these cases later research has shown the presence of poison glands 

 on or near the spines, while in the sting rays (Dasyatis) and other 

 fishes no such structures have yet been found. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 38— No. 1764. 



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