MARINE TOXINS AND VENOMOUS AND POISONOUS MARINE ANJXALS
361
During the next hour the patient received an intravenous injection
of 260 ml of 6% glucose in saline, containing epinephrine, 10 ml of
calcium gluconate and 6 ml of methocarbamol. Three hours following
the injury the patient was asymptomatic, except for the parasthesia
over the right index finger. The finger was still markedly swollen
and the edema extended into the palm of the hand. The hand was
immobilized. There were no subsequent complaints or findings of
significance. The edema persisted for several days, and the distal
portion of the injured finger was tender for several weeks. An area
of a few millimetres in diameter around the two stab wounds became
necrotic and sloughed out.
Stings by P . volitans and related species provoke more severe
pain, and appear to be considerably more dangerous, than stings by
the stingrays, sculpins or weeverfishes. The severity of the signs,
as noted in the various cases presented in the literature, indicates
that this fish is capable of producing a fatal poisoning in man. If
the initial pain does not respond to hot water, meperidine hydrochloride
may need to be given. Cardiovascular tone can be maintained with
intravenous fluids and epinephrine; it is advisable to give oxygen.
2. Scorpaena (Swrpaem)
This group haa a far greater distribution and range than any of
the other venomous fishes, with the possible exception of the stingrays.
Its various members are known in different p&s of the world as
scorpionfishes, sculpins, rockfishes, sea pigs, bullrouts, waspfishes,
bullheads or blobs. According to Halstead and Mitchell (1963),
members of the genera Apistus, Centropogon, Gymnapistm, Hypodytm,
Notesthes, Scorpaena, Scorpaenodes, Swrpaenopsis, Sebmtapktm, Sebastodes, Sebastolobus, and Snyderina all belong to this group (Fig. 12, 13).
These fishes vary considerably in their size, shape and color, as well as
in the kind of habitat in which they me found and the kind of life
upon which they feed. In spite of their differences they have very
similar venom apparatuses.
(a) V e m apparatus. The venom apparatus of several of the
European scorpionfishes has been described by Bottard (1889), Tuma
(1927), and by Pawlowsky (1927). Halstead et al. (1966b) has described
the venom apparatus of the California scorpionfish Swrpaena guttata.
This fish may be taken as a representative for the group. It has twelve
dorsal spines, three anal spines, two pelvic spines, and their enveloping
integumentary sheaths. The spines are shorter and heavier than in
Pterois (Fig. 20). When the moderately thick integumentq sheath is
A.Y.B.-3
u
361
During the next hour the patient received an intravenous injection
of 260 ml of 6% glucose in saline, containing epinephrine, 10 ml of
calcium gluconate and 6 ml of methocarbamol. Three hours following
the injury the patient was asymptomatic, except for the parasthesia
over the right index finger. The finger was still markedly swollen
and the edema extended into the palm of the hand. The hand was
immobilized. There were no subsequent complaints or findings of
significance. The edema persisted for several days, and the distal
portion of the injured finger was tender for several weeks. An area
of a few millimetres in diameter around the two stab wounds became
necrotic and sloughed out.
Stings by P . volitans and related species provoke more severe
pain, and appear to be considerably more dangerous, than stings by
the stingrays, sculpins or weeverfishes. The severity of the signs,
as noted in the various cases presented in the literature, indicates
that this fish is capable of producing a fatal poisoning in man. If
the initial pain does not respond to hot water, meperidine hydrochloride
may need to be given. Cardiovascular tone can be maintained with
intravenous fluids and epinephrine; it is advisable to give oxygen.
2. Scorpaena (Swrpaem)
This group haa a far greater distribution and range than any of
the other venomous fishes, with the possible exception of the stingrays.
Its various members are known in different p&s of the world as
scorpionfishes, sculpins, rockfishes, sea pigs, bullrouts, waspfishes,
bullheads or blobs. According to Halstead and Mitchell (1963),
members of the genera Apistus, Centropogon, Gymnapistm, Hypodytm,
Notesthes, Scorpaena, Scorpaenodes, Swrpaenopsis, Sebmtapktm, Sebastodes, Sebastolobus, and Snyderina all belong to this group (Fig. 12, 13).
These fishes vary considerably in their size, shape and color, as well as
in the kind of habitat in which they me found and the kind of life
upon which they feed. In spite of their differences they have very
similar venom apparatuses.
(a) V e m apparatus. The venom apparatus of several of the
European scorpionfishes has been described by Bottard (1889), Tuma
(1927), and by Pawlowsky (1927). Halstead et al. (1966b) has described
the venom apparatus of the California scorpionfish Swrpaena guttata.
This fish may be taken as a representative for the group. It has twelve
dorsal spines, three anal spines, two pelvic spines, and their enveloping
integumentary sheaths. The spines are shorter and heavier than in
Pterois (Fig. 20). When the moderately thick integumentq sheath is
A.Y.B.-3
u