Beyond Venom and Constriction: Bite Performance and Trophic Ecology in the Genus Drymarchon

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  Beyond Venom and Constriction: Bite Performance and Trophic Ecology in the Genus Drymarchon Abstract Snakes exhibit extreme cranial kinesis that facilitates ingestion of prey with large cross-sectional area, but this ability is widely predicted to reduce bite performance due to decreased structural rigidity. Consequently, most large-bodied snakes rely on envenomation or constriction to subdue prey prior to ingestion. Species within the genus Drymarchon represent a notable exception: these large, non-venomous, non-constricting snakes routinely consume a wide range of prey, including large and potentially dangerous vertebrates, using only simple seizing and pinioning behaviors. Here, we quantify bite performance in three species of Drymarchon ( D. corais, D. couperi, and D. melanurus ), examine morphological predictors of biting performance, compare biting pressure to constriction pressure in similarly sized snakes, and synthesize dietary records across the genus. Our results sh...

Fab or F(ab’)2 Antivenom: Which Should we use for North American Crotalids?

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Fab or F(ab’)2 Antivenom: Which Should we use for North American Crotalids?

We read with interest a pair of articles comparing different aspects of Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (CroFab®, BTG International) or Crotalidae immune F(ab’)2(Anavip®, Rare Disease Therapeutics),the two principle antivenoms (AV) for North American pit viper envenomations [1, 2]. Both articles employed the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) North American Snake Bite Registry (NASBR), and both articles sought to determine whether one antivenom is preferable to the other. The two articles point to different answers to the question, “Which antivenom should our hospital use?”

McKnight, M., Mullins, M.E. Fab or F(ab’)2 Antivenom: Which Should we use for North American Crotalids?. J. Med. Toxicol. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-025-01098-1