A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
| albumin | n. protein found in large quantities throughout the tissues of mammals |
| anaphylaxis | n. |
| antibody | n. substance of immune origin directaed against an antigen |
| antigen | n. substance, usually of biological origin, which precipitates an immune response |
| antivenene | n. antivenom [now fairly obsolete] |
| antivenom | n. substance of immunological origin, whose action counters that of venom |
| arachnid | n. animal belonging to the group which includes spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites and pseudoscorpions |
| autoimmune | a. |
| araneomorph | adj. belonging to a group of spider species regarded as more advanced, characterised by various features, the most readily recognizable of which is the opposing action of the fangs [c.f. mygalomoprh] n. a member of this group |
| bovine | adj. of cattle |
| bradycardia | n. a slow heart rate |
| canine | adj. of dogs |
| cephalothorax | n. fore part of a spider's body, distinct from the abdomen and having all four pairs of legs |
| coagulation | n. formation of a blood clot |
| coagulopathy | n. pathological disturbance in the process of coagulation |
| envenomation | n. process of venom being injected into the body |
| equine | adj. of horses |
| fang | n. specialised tooth or toothlike structure associated with the mouth, often hollow or grooved and improving the efficiency of venom injection |
| genus | n. in the classification of living things, a group of similar species [e.g., the brown snake species all belong to the genus Pseudonaja] | haematological | adj. of blood |
| hymenopteran | n. animal belonging to the group comprised of the ants, bees, wasps and sawflies |
| hypersensitivity | n. |
| immunoglobulin | n. |
| invertebrate | n. any animal which does not have a backbone |
| LD50 | n. median lethal dose; a quantity or concentration of toxin at which half of the test subjects to whom it is administered are killed by its effects |
| leporine | adj. of rabbits |
| monovalent | adj. applied to antivenom, acting against a single type of venom [c.f. polyvalent] |
| mygalomorph | adj. belonging to a group of spider species regarded as more primitive, characterised by various features, the most readily recognizable of which is the parallel action of the fangs [c.f. araneomoprh] n. a member of this group |
nematocyst | n. stinging cell found on the tentacles of jellyfish and certain other marine creatures |
| ovine | adj. of sheep |
| polyvalent | adj. applied to antivenom, acting against multiple venom types [c.f. monovalent] |
| radula | n. |
| slough | v. to shed skin [applied to snakes] |
| spicule | n. |
| sting | n. |
| synapse | n. junction between adjacent nerve cells across which nerve impulses travel |
| synaptic | adj. of a synapse |
| tachycardia | n. a rapid heart rate |
| tetrodotoxin | n. potent neurotoxin in the saliva of blue-ringed octopi, named after the group of fish (tetrodontids) in which it is found native |
| toxin | n. substance which has an adverse effect on physiology |
| urticaria | n. inflammation of the skin, typically with numerous weals and itching |
| venom | n. toxin actively introduced into the victim's body via a specialised structure [in contrast to being passively introduced through contact or ingestion] |
Last updated: June 2006
