Anita Malhotra – författare

This is the first book to present a multidisciplinary approach to venomous snake research. As well as focusing on the medical aspects of snake venoms and the effects of snakebites, the book examines the evolution and ecology of venomous snakes, which are so crucial in the search for snakebite antidotes.The book has been written to be accessible to an audience of varied scientific backgrounds. Due to the wide range of information, it will be of great interest to scientists and students involved in any aspect of venomous snake research, whilst also appealing to the growing band of amateur enthusiasts.

This volume contains a section on the wider evolutionary context of venom in animals, the molecular evolutionary processes involved in generating diversity, and the concept of venom evolution as being driven by an arms race that also involves evolution of resistance to toxins by prey. It also studies the relationship between the evolution of toxins and the evolution of the animals that they evolved within.  The last section discusses the evolution of venom delivery systems. The definition of a venomous animal, as opposed to a poisonous one, encompasses the evolution not just of toxins but also a specialized mechanism for administering them by injection.