title: Potential envenomation by the aglyphous pseudoxyrhophiine snake Leioheterodon madagascariensis and description of its dentition.
abstract: We report on a case of potential envenomation caused by multiple bites by the aglyphous opisthodont snake Leioheterodon madagascariensis in the left thumb of a healthy adult man, which is among the most serious snakebites hitherto reported from Madagascar. The adult snake (total length > 1 meter) was unusually aggressive before and during capture. The symptoms included extensive bleeding, severe local pain, and substantial swelling of the hand and the distal part of the lower arm. The swelling disappeared entirely after five days, but pain in the thumb (when moved) was recognizable even longer. Although L. madagascariensis is widespread and common in anthropogenic habitats in eastern and western Madagascar, this case report seems to be the first description of long-lasting symptoms of its bite. Since aglyphous snakes are relatively rarely involved in "envenomation" and because hemolytic activity has been recorded in the secretions of the Duvernoy's glands of Leioheterodon, we describe its dentition using microcomputed tomography and discuss the potential mode of envenomation in this case.
authors.affiliation: Département de Biologie Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo, 101 Madagascar.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Razafimahatratra
authors.affiliation: Zoologische Statssammlung München (ZSM-SNSB), Münchhausenstrabe 21, 81247 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Zoologische Statssammlung München (ZSM-SNSB), Münchhausenstrabe 21, 81247 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Glaw
keywords: Dentition; Envenomation; Lamprophiidae; Leioheterodon madagascariensis; Madagascar; Microcomputed tomography; Pseudoxyrhophiinae