Short answer… The difference between poisonous and venomous is in the way they are delivered to their victims. Poison is ingested, while venom is injected. Poisonous organisms secrete toxins that are harmful when ingested or absorbed. For example, some types of frogs have poisonous skin that can cause illness or death if ingested. Venomous organisms, on the other hand, use special structures to deliver venom directly into their prey or predators. For instance, snakes, spiders, and scorpions are venomous creatures that sting or bite their victims to inject venom. In summary, a poisonous organism is harmful when eaten or touched, while a venomous organism injects its venom through a bite or sting.
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The terms poisonous and venomous are often used interchangeably, but they actually have different meanings. Poisonous refers to something that is harmful when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Venomous, on the other hand, refers to something that is harmful when injected into the body through a bite, sting, or other means of injection. So, for example, a mushroom may be poisonous if eaten, while a snake may be venomous if it bites you.
Specifically, poisonous refers to something which contains a toxic substance that can be harmful if ingested or absorbed through the skin, eyes or mouth. Poisonous substances can cause an adverse reaction, illness or even death in humans or animals. Examples of poisonous substances include certain plants, chemicals, pesticides, and some animals like snakes and spiders that produce venom. It is essential to take precautions and exercise caution when dealing with poisonous substances to avoid any adverse effects. If you suspect that you have been exposed to a poisonous substance, seek immediate medical attention.
Specifically, Venomous refers to animals that produce and inject venom as a means of defense or to capture prey. Venom is a toxin produced by specialized glands in the animal’s body and is injected via specialized apparatus like fangs or spines. It can cause a range of effects on the victim, from mild pain and swelling to paralysis or even death. Some examples of venomous animals include snakes, scorpions, spiders, and certain species of fish and snails.
Lionfish have 18 venomous spines that are used defensively against predators. These spines should be avoided during capture and handling because of their ability to cause painful injuries.
Thirteen long venomous spines are located along the front of the dorsal fin on the top of the fish. Two short venomous spines are on the pelvic fins (one on each side), located on the bottom of the fish closest to the fishβs head. Three additional venomous spines are located along the front edge of the anal fin, on the bottom of the fish nearest the tail. The large and featherlike pectoral fins and the tail fin do not contain venomous spines. Each bony and venomous spine is grooved and covered with skin-like tissue. During a sting, the skin-like covering is torn and retracted as the spine is inserted into the body of a predator.Β Β
Source: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Whatβs the Difference Between Venomous and Poisonous?
When people talk aboutΒ dangerous snakesΒ like black mambas and cobras, at least one person in the conversation will ask whether the snake is poisonous. Bolstered by medical references and haphazard mentions on television and elsewhere in the mass media, the phrase βpoisonous snakeβ has been drilled into our collective consciousness. But this phrase is not technically correctβstrictly speaking, most dangerous snakes are venomous.
According to biologists, the termΒ venomousΒ is applied to organisms that bite (or sting) to inject their toxins, whereas the termΒ poisonousΒ applies to organisms that unload toxins when you eat them. This means that very few snakes are truly poisonous. The vast majority of snake toxins are transferred by bite. One exception is theΒ garter snakeΒ (Thamnophis), which is small and harmless in terms of its bite but is toxic to eat because its body absorbs and stores the toxins of its prey (newts and salamanders).
Poisonous animals include mostΒ amphibians (that is, frogs, toads, salamanders, etc.), which carry some toxins on their skin and within their other tissues, such as the highly toxic poison secreted by variousΒ poison dart frogs. These chemicals are strong enough that they can be deadly to humans, so you would be wise to keep these creatures off your menu.
Along with snakes,Β dangerous spidersΒ are also generally venomous. Some lizards are venomous as well; the potency of lizard venom ranges from relatively mild, such as that of theΒ Gila monsterΒ (Heloderma suspectum) and various species ofΒ iguana, to the witchesβ brew of toxins and bacteria injected into the prey of theΒ Komodo dragonΒ (Varanus komodoensis).Β In addition, other animals (such as bees, ants, and wasps) are venomous even though they do not contain fangs per se. TheΒ platypusΒ (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is probably the best-known venomous mammal. Male platypuses have a fanglike spur on the inner side of each ankle that is connected to aΒ venomΒ gland located over the thighs. The spurs can be wielded in defense, and the venom is potent enough to kill small animals and to cause intense pain in humans if the spur penetrates the skin. Similarly,Β cnidariansΒ (jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones) have capsules calledΒ nematocystsΒ (which may be tiny, elongated, or spherical) that contain coiled, hollow, usually barbed threads, which can be turned outward to ward off enemies or capture prey. These barbed threads often contain toxins.
When it comes toΒ plants, things get a little fuzzy. Several plants, such as deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and castor beans (Ricinus communis), are poisonous and thus should not be consumed. In addition, while plants do not have formal teeth, ankle spurs, or nematocysts, some have similar structures that can transmit toxins to unsuspecting victims that brush against them. One of the most familiar toxic plants isΒ poison ivyΒ (Toxicodendron radicans); nearly all parts of the plant contain urushiol, a substance that can produce a severe itchy and painful inflammation of the skin known asΒ contact dermatitis. Yet it would be quite a stretch to call poison ivyΒ venomousΒ (and anyway, weβd have to start calling it βvenom ivy,β wouldnβt we?). On the other hand, nettles, a group of about 80 species belonging to the genusΒ Urtica, might actually qualify as venomous. These plants have raised structures called trichomes that are capable of stinging animals that brush against them. In theΒ stinging nettleΒ (Urtica dioica), the trichomes of the leaves and stems have bulbous tips that break off when an animal passes by, revealing needle-like tubes that pierce the skin. They inject a mix of acetylcholine, formic acid, histamine, and serotonin, causing an itchy burning rash in humans and other animals that may last up to 12 hours. Granted, these toothlike (or needlelike) structures arenβt technically fangs, but they provide a very similar defensive function.
According to biologists, the termΒ venomousΒ is applied to organisms that bite (or sting) to inject their toxins, whereas the termΒ poisonousΒ applies to organisms that unload toxins when you eat them. This means that very few snakes are truly poisonous.Β
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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