which are called .jauna/^ | snake eel] and feared as poisonous fish are only 

 the dark-colored species. There are several species of dark ones and 

 several species of li^ht ones, and it is thouf»ht that there must be some 

 variation in tojdcity as between species. The authgr tested three 

 species of dreb, and although the three species called ma.1 and eaten by 

 the natives were not tested, they are cited as nonpoisonous for purposes 

 of comparison o As can be seen from the plate, those w^ich are called roa.1 

 and wliich are supposed to be white vary in dej^ee of whiteness and are 

 variously spotted so that there is no way of tellinir clearly which are to 

 [Page 20] be considered maj,. The designation varies with different natives 

 and from island to island and is nothing but a va|»ue generalization based 

 on outward appearance. It would be dangerous to use it to determine the 

 edibility of a species. The same can be said of those called drob . From 

 its p;eneral appearance the utgubo, which is eaten in Japan, would have to 

 be counted among the dreb . 



1, Dokuutsubo (Plate 1, Fig. 1) 



Scientific name - gynnothorax flavimar/tlnatua Ruppell 

 Local name - dreb (tlarahallese) « .laun^id. - (Japanese residents) 

 Distribution - East Africa, Indian Ocean, South Seas, Philippines, Hawaii. 

 ?/orphological characteristics - Snout thick and short, head likewise. 

 Black spots in Imbricated pattern on body, especially white-edged black 

 spots around gill opening. Single row of teeth in upper Jaw, Head length 

 goes 8 or 9 times in body length, 3.5 in trunk. 



This is the most common eel of the coral reefs and can easily be 

 caught on set lines or by angling from the shore. 



The flesh was fed to cats and mice with the following results. 

 [Tables 1, 2, 3\ 



[Page 21] 



The ■'mice, in proportion to their weight, ate approximately ten times 

 as much as the eats, but showed only sensory impairment with no deaths. 

 Thirty grams of cooked or raw flesh given to the cats produced violent 

 poisoning (Table 1). Table^shows a comparatively low degree of tcKleity. 

 From the appearance of the poii^oned animals it is thought that a lethal 

 quantity is probably much less than the quiantity consumed. 



As an example of poisoning in humans, we heard of a case in which 

 about 200 grams of the flesh of an eel of this species, taken by angling 

 from shore, was roasted and eaten by three persons, two of whom died that 

 night. 



This species is one of the most violently poisonous fishes. The 

 toxic element appears to resist heat, and roastinr; or steanin-' does not 

 reduce its toxieity. Its effectiveness was not chanf>;ed bj heating at 

 100® for IX) minutes. 

 [Page 22] 



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