Abstract
Venom delivery systems (VDS) are common in the animal kingdom, but rare amongst mammals. New definitions of venom allow us to reconsider its diversity amongst mammals by reviewing the VDS of Chiroptera, Eulipotyphla, Monotremata, and Primates. All orders use modified anterior dentition as the venom delivery apparatus, except Monotremata, which possesses a crural system. The venom gland in most taxa is a modified submaxillary salivary gland. In Primates, the saliva is activated when combined with brachial gland exudate. In Monotremata, the crural spur contains the venom duct. Venom functions include feeding, intraspecific competition, anti-predator defense and parasite defense. Including mammals in discussion of venom evolution could prove vital in our understanding protein functioning in mammals and provide a new avenue for biomedical and therapeutic applications and drug discovery.
Highlights
In this review we summarize the current knowledge about venom systems and their functions in mammals, with more detail about primates
The venom delivery apparatus, the venom gland(s) including the connecting ducts and possible muscles involved in the delivery of the venom are referred to as the venom delivery system (VDS)
The reason why venom systems are so rare in extant mammals, while they are so manifold in other animal groups, and whether or not venom systems were present in early mammals, remains speculative
Summary
Fry et al [1] define venom as “a secretion, produced in a specialized tissue (generally encapsulated in a gland) in one animal and delivered into a target animal through the infliction of a wound (regardless how tiny it is). The authors prefer a definition based on biological functions that acknowledges for example that venom of specialized predators may be target-specific (e.g., birds, [3,4]) or some native prey can become resistant to predator venom, and do not show reaction. This contemporary definition of venom recognizes animal clades that have not previously been regarded as venomous by traditional definitions, such as the haematophagus (blood feeding) fleas, ticks, leeches, and vampire bats [5], whose venom does not kill prey but facilitates feeding
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