Venomous Animal Tree
The following tree gives a rough idea of the relationships between animal groups, particularly those which have venomous species. It is not a comprehensive list of groups, as that would be very large. Rather, the major and more well-known groups are shown. Venomous animals (only those which are regarded as dangerously venomous to humans) are shown in red. Following a link will take you to more information on that group.
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Porifera (sponges) | ||||
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Cnidaria | ||||
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Anthozoa (sea anemones) | |||
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Cubozoa (box jellyfish, Chiropsalmus, irukandji, jimble, morbakka) | |||
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Hydrozoa (hydrozoans, bluebottle) | |||
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Scyphozoa (hair jelly, blubber, moon jelly) | |||
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Ctenophora (comb jellies) | ||||
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Bilateria | ||||
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Annelida (worms) | |||
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Polychaeta (bristle worms, fireworms) | ||
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Oligochaeta (earthworms) | ||
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Hirudinea (leeches) | ||
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Mollusca | |||
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Polyplacophora (chitons) | ||
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Bivalvia (mussels, clams) | ||
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Gastropoda (snails, cone snails) | ||
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Cephalopoda (cuttlefish, squids, octopi, blue-ringed octopus) | ||
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Brachiopoda | |||
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Bryozoa | |||
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Nemertea | |||
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Rotifera | |||
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Platyhelminthes (flatworms) | |||
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Chaetognatha | |||
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Onychophora (velvet worms) | |||
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Tardigrada (water bears) | |||
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Nematoda (roundworms) | |||
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Nematophora | |||
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Arthropoda (joint-legged invertebrates) | |||
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Insecta | ||
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Dermaptera (earwigs) | |
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Siphonaptera (fleas) | |
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Hemiptera (bugs) | |
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Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets) | |
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Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths) | |
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Coleoptera (beetles) | |
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Diptera (flies, mosquitoes) | |
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Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps) | |
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Crustacea (crabs, lobsters, slaters) | ||
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Diplopoda (millipedes) | ||
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Chilopoda (centipedes) | ||
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Xiphosura (horseshoe crabs) | ||
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Pycnogonida (sea spiders) | ||
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Arachnida | ||
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Opiliones (harvestmen) | |
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Aranaea (spiders) | |
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Mygalomorphae (primitive spiders) |
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Araneomorphae (advanced spiders) |
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Scorpiones (scorpions) | |
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Acari (mites, ticks) | |
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Deuterostomia | |||
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Echinodermata | ||
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Crinoidea (feather stars) | |
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Ophiuroidea (brittle stars) | |
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Asteroidea (starfish) | |
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Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers) | |
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Echinoidea (sea urchins) | |
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Urochordata (sea squirts, cunjevoi) | ||
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Vertebrata | ||
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Chondrichthyes (sharks, rays) | |
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Osteichthyes (bony fish) | |
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Aves (birds) | |
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Amphibia (frogs, salamanders) | |
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Reptilia (reptiles) | |
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Squamata (lizards, snakes) |
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Testudinata (turtles, tortoises) |
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Crocodylia (crocodiles, alligators) |
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Mammalia (mammals) | |
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Monotremata (platypus, echidnas) |
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Marsupalia (kangaroos, possums, koala, quolls) |
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Eutheria (placental mammals) |
Last updated: November 2006
