Waterbirds catch and release a poisonous fish at a mudflat in southeastern Australia

Several waterbird species prey on fishes, and usually use only one sensory mode to detect this prey: herons hunt visually guided, whereas ibises mostly search tactilely guided. I report herein events in which a heron and an ibis caught and released a poisonous fish at a mudflat in southeastern Australia. A Great Egret (Ardea alba) that targeted small gerreid fishes caught and immediately released the very toxic pufferfish Tetractenos hamiltoni, with bill washing and discomfort movements afterwards. Two Australian White Ibises (Threskiornis molucca) that probed for bottom-dwelling fishes and crabs caught and handled these pufferfishes for about 60 s, before releasing them. Next, the birds dipped the bill in the water and resumed hunting. Pufferfishes are rarely preyed on by birds, but an Australian bird that feeds on this fish type is the Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae), which eats the pufferfish Torquigener pleurogramma when it is nontoxic or less harmful.

Risks from animals

Animals that can cause severe trauma - Treatment of trauma caused by animals - Venomous land animals - Venomous marine animals - Poisonous fish and shellfish

Risks from animals

Animals that can cause severe trauma - Treatment of trauma caused by animals - Venomous land animals - Venomous marine animals - Poisonous fish and shellfish

Severe Tetrodotoxin Poisoning after Consumption ofLagocephalus sceleratus(Pufferfish, Fugu) Fished in Mediterranean Sea, Treated with Cholinesterase Inhibitor

Lagocephalus sceleratus, or better known as the pufferfish, or fugu, is widespread in Asia and Indo-Pacific regions. It is a poisonous fish containing tetrodotoxin (TTX) which is a potent neurotoxin. In the Far East, fugu is considered a delicate dish, especially in Japan where it is prepared by experts. Nevertheless, poisoning fromLagocephalus sceleratusis not a rare event. Recent data from Japan indicate an incidence of 45 patients per year and a mortality rate of 11%. Mediterranean sea is not the natural habitat ofLagocephalus sceleratus. However, by now multiple reports have established a firm presence ofLagocephalus sceleratusin Mediterranean region as well. This phenomenon is explained by migration of pufferfish across the Suez Channel (lessepsian migration) (Eisenman et al., 2008, Bentur et al., 2008). With lessepsian migration came the first reports of TTX poisoning in the Mediterranean region. We report a patient with a particularly severe and life-threatening TTX poisoning caused by consumption ofLagocephalus sceleratusand treated by cholinesterase inhibitor to a complete and uneventful recovery.

Poisonous Fish and Seasnakes in the Arabian Gulf

SUMMARYA case history is given, followed by a discussion of the management of seasnake bites and poisonous fish stings with guidance on differentiating between the two types of injury.