Shark Liver Oil

Word shark reminds us about the the extremely horrific scenes from movies and many comic scenes in cartoons :p…..the famous shark dorsal fin that makes many cartoon characters run for their life in water (by the way shark fins are used to make soup :D…). Well u should be happy to know Shark has other uses too :P other than being dangerous creature but edible ……;)

There are 368 species of shark divided into 30 families. Their body is made up of cartilage and they show internal fertilization. They are mainly found at the depth of 2000 meters or so and in almost kinds of waters. Their size may range from 7 inches to 50 feet. Not all sharks are dangerous , only 25 species of shark are known to attack people out of which Bull shark is the most frequent attacker as it is found in shallower waters.

A shark's liver concentrates and stores oils and fatty acids. The liver functions in energy storage and buoyancy. It takes up 90% space inside the body cavity. Shark Liver oil is used for medical as well as nonmedical purposes . Liver oil is extracted from the species such as, the deep sea shark (Centrophorus squamosus), the dogfish (Sqaulus acanthias), and the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) .

Sqaulus acanthias

Centrophorus squamosus

Cetorhinus maximus

The liver oil obtained from cold-water sharks is a rich source of alkylglycerols (group of ester-linked glycerol), squalamine, and squalene, chemicals that could be used to cure cancer by killing tumour cells indirectly and also to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. White blood cells play important role in immunity and most of them are killed during chemotherapy.These chemicals are also used to stimulate immune system by increasing the biosynthesis of the platelet activating factors and may be effective against diseases like AIDS, arthritis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, or psoriasis. Still a lot of research is going on this topic and the evidences in support are fewer.

It has antioxidant properties and is used to maintain healthy skin and also for treating acne. Skin cancer patients apply oil directly to skin. It is the source of vitamin A and D which is required for healthy skin.

Shark liver oil is used in the tanning and textile industries, as a lubricant and also as a rich source of vitamin A. It is used as high-grade machine oil in textile industries and also to coat the hull of wooden boats.

Shark oil barometers are used to know weather conditions in Bermuda . It is said that Shark liver oil changes from clear to cloudy with electrical changes in atmosphere. These changes alert the shark about the upcoming storm so that shark moves to safer place as deep water, this property of oil is retained even after extraction from shark.

Poison Dart Frogs

Have ull Nytime thought how poisonous a frog could be ?? What if I say that frog could be listed in top ten most poisonous creatures on earth?

Well…obviously all frogs are not poisonous …I am here talking specifically about Poison Dart frogs also called as poison arrow frogs….which belong to Family Dendrobatidae exhibiting aposmatic coloration(to warn predators frm attacking) and have bright colors.

They are small in size ranging from one inch to two nd half inches and known to be active during daytime.....usually found close to ground some species may be found at upto 10 meters height on trees ….Their average lifespan is 1-3 yrs in wild forests whereas upto 25 yrs when bred in captivity..

Natural habitats include subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical moist montanes and rivers, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, lakes and swamps……..

Golden dart frogs (Phyllobatus terribilis) are one of the most poisonous and are found in the rainforests and known to be endemic to Pacific coast of Columbia…..they usually feed on ants and insects or small beetles …the alkaloid poison is stored in skin glands.

Their mode of reproduction is external fertilization..males use vocal sounds to attract the females..often there r fights too between males....nd da stronger one gets da gal!!! :D

Have a nice look at the picture :) as one Golden Dart frog has enough poison to kill 10 human beings…Even if this frog walks over a piece of cloth and your pet comes in contact with the cloth , it would result in the death of ur pet..:(….

Its also interesting to know that in earlier times locals of Columbia rainforests used the frog venom for hunting….The Emberá people exposed frog to the heat of a fire, and the poisonous fluid that was released was collected. The tips of weapons such as arrows and darts were dipped in the fluid, and used to hunt. The poison effect was more than 2 yrs….

Toxins from the frog are being investigated for uses as muscle relaxers, pain relievers and appetite reducers.Some species like Epipedobates tricolor are useful ..as chemicals derived from them i.e epibatidine is a powerful painkiller….

Snake called as Liophis epinephelus has developed resistance against the toxin of these frogs and feeds on them..although it is not completely immune to high quantities of toxin…. Some large spiders also feed on blue poison dart frogs…tadpoles are devoid of any poison and thus fall prey to snakes and flies too…