Family-Animalia: Elapidae

Elapidae (/ɪˈlæpɪdiː/, commonly known as elapids /ˈɛləpɪdz/; Ancient Greek: ἔλλοψ éllops "sea-fish") is a family of venomous snakes characterized by hollow, permanently erect, relatively short fangs in the front of the mouth that channel venom into their prey. Elapids are endemic to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, with terrestrial forms in Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas alongside marine forms in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Members of the family have a wide range of sizes, from the 18 cm (7.1 in) white-lipped snake to the 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in) king cobra. Most species have neurotoxins in their venom, while some may contain other toxic components in various proportions. The family includes 56 genera with some 360 species and some 170 subspecies.

Venom

Venoms of species in the Elapidae are mainly neurotoxic for immobilizing prey and defense.The main group of toxins are PLA2 and Three finger toxins (3FTx). Other toxic components in some species comprise cardiotoxins and cytotoxins, which cause heart dysfunctions and cellular damage, respectively. Bites from all the members of this family are potentially fatal, some of which are even considered to be the world's most venomous snakes based upon their murine LD50 values, such as the taipans. Large species, mambas and cobras included, are dangerous for their capability of injecting high quantities of venom upon single envenomation and/or striking at a high position proximal to the victim's brain, which is vulnerable to neurotoxicity. Antivenom is promptly required to be administrated if bitten by any elapids. Venom of spitting cobras is more cytotoxic rather than neurotoxic. It damages local cells, especially those in eyes, which are purposely targeted by the snakes. The venom may cause intense pain if not blindness upon contact with eyes. It is not lethal on skin if no wound provides any chance for the toxins to make contact with the blood. Specific antivenoms are the only cure to treat elapidae bites. There are commercial monovalent and polyvalent antivenoms for Mambas, Cobras, Najas, and some other important elapids. Recently, experimental antivenoms based on recombinant toxins have a shown that is feasible to create antivenoms with a wide spectrum of coverage.

Reference: Wikipedia