Further studies on the mass of venom injected by Elapid snakes

Further experimental studies to determine the mass of venom injected by medically-significant Australian elapids are reported. The use of a modified enzyme immunoassay technique to measure venom injected during snake bite is presented. The feeding biting pattern of the Australian eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) is described. Using data from ten different snakes of this species, it is established that the mass of venom delivered in a first-bite is 4.69 +/- 0.85 mg (mean +/- S.E.) and a mean of 91% of the delivered venom is injected s.c. or into deeper tissues in a first-bite. For this species, the mass of venom delivered sequentially in a bite sequence falls to 1.32 +/- 0.94 mg in the third bite in such a sequence. For the Australian rough-scaled snake (Tropidechis carinatus), the mass of venom delivered in a first feeding bite is 6.15 +/- 2.23 mg, falling to a minimum of 1.92 +/- 0.61 mg in the third bite of a sequence. for the Australian death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) the mass of venom delivered in a feeding bite is 41.95 +/- 16.13 mg for a first bite. Biting data is also presented for three species of the genus Pseudechis (the Australian mulga (king brown) and black snakes.