2007 Press Releases

02 Mar 2007

"Animal Venom" - Public Lecture, 7 March



Many animals secrete toxic substances either to injure or kill their prey, or to defend themselves against attack.  Being poisonous also protects species from predation and they have often evolved bright colour as a warning to would be attackers.  At the next lecture of the Faculty of Science Public Lecture Series at UCC on 7 March, Professor Tom Cross will consider examples of these species.

Professor Cross will discuss well-known species such as venomous snakes and sting rays, to less well-known ones ranging from tiny dinoflagellates, which cause red tides; tropical box jellyfish (the world's most venomous animal); cone shells and blue ringed octopus; spiders scorpions and hornets; stone fish and other stinging fish; "poison arrow" frogs and the male duck billed platypus.  The origin, nature, function and evolution of these poisons will be considered as will the interaction of some of these species with humans.

Tom Cross DSc is Associate Professor of Zoology at UCC.  A native of Cork, he has been in UCC since 1983 and was previously Assistant Director of the Salmon Research Trust of Ireland.  His PhD on the genetics of hybrid fishes and fish molecular genetics, is still his major research area.  He is also interested in salmon biology, marine ecology, biomechanics of jellyfish, and venomous animals.

The lecture takes place at UCC's Boole Lecture Theatre 4 at 8pm on Wednesday, 7 March.  The highly popular lecture series, organised by Professor William Reville of the Faculty of Science, UCC, continues weekly until 28 March 2007.  Admission to the lecture is free, and as always, members of the public are invited to attend.

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