Red-back

Temporal alterations in peripheral chemoreceptors are rare in vertebrates, but this group provides an example of transient enhancement of signal capture efficiency. The Red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) shows dimorphic and seasonal VNO volume fluctuations. Males always possess a significantly larger vomeronasal area, and both... 

Mink (Mustela vison) collected from the Northwest Territories of Canada between 1991 and 1995 had liver mirex concentrations between 0.08 and 0.39 pg/kg FW. These extremely low mirex concentrations were, nevertheless, higher than liver mirex concentrations in prey species (snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus, 0.08 to 0.13 pg/kg FW northern red-backed vole, Clethrionomys rutilus, 0.32 pg/kg FW), suggesting that mirex biomagnification in mammalian wildlife food chains is possible (Poole et al. 1998). 

Prey species, liver Northern red-backed vole, Clethrlonomys rutilus 0.5-4.7 FW 10... 

Male red-backed salamanders Plethodon cinereus) in Petri dishes were given a choice between own feces and those of another male. They preferred their own. The same was true for washes from the cloacal glands (Simon and Madison, 1984). While this may represent discrimination of own and other, rather than true individual recognition, another experiment showed... 

Salamanders of the ambystomatid family may also use territorial marks. In contrast to red-backed salamanders, which are repelled by conspecific odors or fecal pellets (Jaeger and Gergits, 1979 Jaeger, 1986), spotted salamanders, Amhystoma maculatum, are attracted to paper towels on which conspecifics had lived for 4 days, whether the latter were familiar or unfamiliar (Ducey and Ritsema, 1988). 

A non-toxic species of salamander may derive protection from predators by visually resembling a toxic form so closely that predators cannot distinguish between them Batesian mimicry). Free-ranging birds avoid both the toxic red eft Notophthalmus viridescens) and the similar-looking non-toxic red morph of the red-backed salamander Plethodon cinereus). The red-striped morph of P. cinereus, which does not resemble the red eft, is eaten (Brodie and Brodie, 1980). 

In their predator avoidance, salamanders use complex odors that combine chemicals from both predator and prey. In the laboratory, red-backed salamanders, P. cinereus, avoid filter papers soaked with water extracts from garter snakes that had been preying on salamanders, while earthworm-fed snakes lacked this effect. Exudations from unfed snakes and extracts from homogenized salamanders had no such alarming effect (Madison etal, 2002). 

Horne, E. A. and Jaeger, R. G. (1988). Territorial pheromones of female red-backed salamanders. Ethology 78,143. 

Ovaska, K. (1988). Recognition of conspecific odors by the western red-backed salamander, CanadianjournalofZoology 66,1293-1296. 

If iron is present, a ferric thiocyanate complex will form and the soln will change from light blue to deep red. Back-titrate the ferric thiocyanate complex with 0.2N TiCla soln from the same buret untii the light blue color reappears. Determine the mis of Ti Cl3 soln... 

The red back spider, found in Australia, which was responsible for deaths of adults (5 per cent of those bitten died) and especially of children before antivenin became available. One of the favourite haunts of the red back is underneath toilet seats, so bites on the backside and in the crotch are not uncommon There are several thousand victims annually in Austraha. The symptoms are similar to those caused by the black widow, and pain can be very severe. 

There are two species of squirrel monkeys, the smallest of the New World monkeys. The common squirrel monkey Saimiri sciureus) lives throughout most of South America s rain forest region. The red-backed squirrel monkey (5. oerstedii) occurs only in Panama and Costa Rica in the middle levels of the forest, where they eat primarily fruit, though they also use their narrow, sharply pointed teeth to devour small insects. Some authorities regard the red-backed squirrel monkey as a subspecies of the common squirrel monkey. 

In the 1960s, the red-backed squirrel monkey was imported into the United States by the thousands for use as pets. Capture for the pet trade together with the destruction of their habitat of rain forest has severely endangered the wild populations of this monkey. Today, the United States government has outlawed the importation of primates except for legitimate scientific purposes. 

The endangered black-bearded, or red-backed, bearded saki (Chiropotes satanas) lives between the Orinoco and Amazon rivers and has bare red skin patches on its face. The white-nosed bearded saki (C. albina-sus) lives primarily south of the Amazon. 

It is possible, and advisable, for a character to prepare extra ingredients when abundant and easily to obtain. They may also cultivate a garden, raise poisonous animals or stockpile chemicals. This allows a character to keep the special ingredients on hand, so there is no need to scramble around searching for that special chemical compound or certain red-backed spider. 

A—Latrotoxin is the major protein neurotoxin in the venom of the black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans). The red back spider, L. nasseltii, produces the same toxic effects. Pain, sweating, circulatory collapse, muscular rigidity, respiratory failure, death. Depletes nerve endings of ACh, adrenaline and glutamate acts on vesicle membrane. 

Field-collected red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) were exposed to 2,4-DNT in soil for 28 d [66]. A sandy loam soil was characterized and spiked with 2,4-DNT at concentrations of 0, 75, 200, 800, and 1500 mg kg 1 dry weight (dw) soil. Food consisted of adult mutant fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster flightless) that were not exposed to DNT. All animals exposed to analytical concentrations greater than 1000 mg DNT kg-1 and not soil died within the first week of exposure. 

Johnson MS et al., Toxicological responses of red-backed salamanders Plethodon cinereus) to subchronic soil exposures of 2,4-dinitrotoluene. Environ. Pollut. 147, 604, 2007. 

The neuroactive agents from widow spiders are called a-latrotoxins they appear to form trans-membrane channels and usually have high molecular weights ( 130,000). They cause massive release of neurotransmitters as they stimulate fusion of the S maptic vesicles (which contain neurotransmitters) with the pre-synaptic membrane. The Australian red back spider often bites people who are in bed or asleep and the venom has a long-term effect, with patients recovering partially and then collapsing with further pain, numbness of an affected limb and even paralysis, still being affected two months later. Studies have shown that... 

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