蝶鱼(BUTTERFLYFISH)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------~SeaSnakes~NAME:Seasnakeisthecommonnameforcertainmarinemembersofafamilyofvenomoussnakes.HABITAT:SeasnakesinhabittropicalwatersfromtheIndianoceantothePacificocean.SeasnakesareparticularlyabundantinthePersianGulfandtheBayofBengal.SIZE:Mostseasnakesarenotlarge,rangingfromabout1.6to3.3feetinlength,althoughStokes'sseasnakecanreachnearly6andahalffeet.REPRODUCTION:Onegroupofseasnakes,sometimescalledthetrueseasnakes,givebirthtoliveyoungandlacktheenlargedventralscalestypicalofmostterrestrialsnakes.Theothergroup,sometimesreferredtoasseakraits,layeggs;becausetheymustleavethewatertodeposittheireggs,theyretainstraplikeventralscales,althoughthesemaybesmallerthanthoseofterrestrialsnakes.SWIMMING:Thepaddleliketailofseasnakesiswideandcompressedandmakesaneffectiveswimmingorgan.BREATHING:Unlikeeels,seasnakeshavenogillsandmustrisetothesurfaceofthewaterforair,buttheycanremainunderwaterforseveralhours,obtainingdissolvedoxygenfromwaterthattheyswallowandeject.FEEDING:Manyspeciesfeedonelongatefishes,suchaseels,whichtheyparalyzewiththeirvenom.BEHAVIOR:Seasnakesaregenerallynotaggressiveandusuallywillnotbitehumansunlesshandledroughlyorforciblyrestrained.VENOM:Seasnakesarehighlyvenomous,andbites,thoughrare,arefatal.COMMONSPECIES:Theyellow-belliedseasnake,oneofthemostcommonseasnakes,rangesalongthePacificcoastfromsouthernCaliforniatonorthernSouthAmerica.Itislessthan3andaquarterfeetlongandisblackordarkbrownwithabrightyellowbelly.SCIENTIFICCLASSIFICATION:Seasnakesareusuallyclassifiedintwosubfamilies,theHydrophiinaeandtheLaticaudinae,bothinthefamilyElapidae.Sometaxonomistsclassifytheminsteadintwofamilies,theHydrophiidaeandLaticaudidae,separatefromthefamilyElapidae.Stokes'sseasnakeisclassifiedasAstrotiastokesii.Theyellow-belliedseasnakeisclassifiedasPelamusplaturus.海蛇长了一口毒牙.其喷射的毒液,比陆地上最毒的眼镜蛇的毒液的毒性还要大50倍.海蛇的毒液属于神经毒素.人被海蛇咬伤后,从毒液进入人体到出现症状,一般要经过4个小时才发病.在此之前,没有什么明显症状,只有一点麻木和刺痛的感觉.4个小时后,毒素一旦发作,患者就会出现全身肌肉酸痛、眼睑下垂、颈部强直、心脏和肾脏受损.如果抢救无效,患者最终将死于心脏衰竭.海蛇可以制药.蛇毒可以用来制成各种单价或多价抗毒血清.用这种抗毒血清,可以治疗毒蛇咬伤.海蛇毒可以提取多种活性酶.这些活性酶可以在医药和科研中使用.使用海蛇毒素研制成的新型镇痛药,对三叉神经痛、坐骨神经痛等顽固性神经疼痛具有良好的镇痛效果.此外,对恶性肿瘤引起的剧痛,也有明显的镇痛效果.用海蛇毒制作的镇痛药,和镇痛药物吗啡相比,虽然起效稍慢,但是镇痛时间长,不会成瘾,所以很受欢迎.我国用海蛇治疗风湿性关节炎、腰背痛、肌肉麻木等疾病的传统方法是,活蛇入酒,浸死,然后取出来,洗干净,封存在60度的酒中半年以上,每次服用少量,同时用酒擦身.海蛇肉和蛋都有良好的补益作用.将海蛇肉或者海蛇蛋炖食,可以治疗营养不良,并且有强身壮体的功效.海蛇胆可以驱风活血,蛇油还可以养护肌肤,是良好的护肤佳品.