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The piscine arsenal: an updated review of venomous fishes

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Abstract

Fishes represent the most diverse group of vertebrates, having inhabited the Earth for approximately 480 million years during which they evolved many specialised adaptations. One such adaptation is the evolution of a venom system, which has convergently arisen on at least 19 separate occasions across their evolutionary history. Venom evolution across fishes has taken two forms: chemical weaponisation of previously evolved defensive spines and the development of an oral venom system. Fish venoms have been shown to contain a myriad of toxin types, some of which may have pharmacological potential. However, due to the labile nature of many toxins, fish venom has not been extensively investigated compared to other venomous groups such as reptiles and arachnids. This review provides an updated scope of our current knowledge regarding the biology, biochemistry, and evolution of fish venom systems. It also attempts to provide a coherent assessment of the dated literature while seeking to address particular issues in order to drive fish venom research further.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the reviewers for making the time to review such a large manuscript and to help improve all aspects of it. I want to also thank Nicholas Youngman, Silvia Saggiomo and Lorenzo Seneci for their comments on some aspects of the manuscript.

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  1. Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Cape Cleveland, QLD, Australia

    Richard J. Harris

  2. Venom Evolution Lab, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia

    Richard J. Harris

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Harris, R.J. The piscine arsenal: an updated review of venomous fishes. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-023-09828-w

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