Buy Pseudechis papuanus Snake Venom

Description

Buy Pseudechis papuanus Snake Venom

The Papuan black snake (Pseudechis papuanus) is a venomous snake of the family Elapidae native to New Guinea. Reaching around 2 m (7 ft) in length, it is a predominantly black snake coloured grey underneath.

The venom of the Papuan black snake is the most potent of all members of the black snake genus Pseudechis. Unlike those of other black snakes, the venom is predominantly neurotoxic in its effects, with muscle weakness and paralysis ensuing over 2 to 21 hours after being bitten. This can be life-threatening and intubation may be required. It is slightly more toxic than the equatorial spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana). Moreover, it is three times less toxic than that of the taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus). A postsynaptic neurotoxin isolated has been given the name of papuantoxin-1. Thus, can be treated with CSL black snake antivenom (used for the king brown snake (Pseudechis australis).

Buy Pseudechis papuanus Snake Venom

Although widely feared in Papua New Guinea’s Central Province, it is responsible for only a small minority of snakebites, eclipsed by the more dangerous taipan. Identifying snakes after snakebite can be difficult as victims often bites while walking through long kunai grass and hence the snake is not seen clearly. The Mekeo people know it as auguma, “to bite again”, from its habit of repeatedly biting. Some local people in New Guinea believe it and the taipan to be opposite sexes of the same species. The Kiwai people believe the snake to be an agent of a magic-man known as Ove-devenor who sends it to kill enemies. People bitten will often seek out another magic-man instead of going to a hospital, thus dangerously delaying treatment.

The first to extract Papuan black snake venom for scientific purposes was Australian herpetologist Ken Slater in the mid-1950s. He sent it to the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories in Melbourne for antivenom research.

Buy Pseudechis papuanus Snake Venom