Can someone please tell me the difference in venom yield and venom potency? For example, the black widow has a venom yield of .02-.03 mg. Does that mean that's how much venom it takes to kick in? I'm giving a speech on identifying deadly spiders, but I'd like to know what the difference is in these two terms before giving it.
Spider venom
The venom yield usually is considered as the maximum capacity of the venom gland(s); the actual amount injected during a bite often is considerably less than that. Venom potency usually is expressed as an LD50 value - this is the concentration of venom in mg of venom per kilogram of body weight that results in the death of 50 % of the test population (usually mice or rats). One mg/kg = one part per million (1 ppm)
Okay so one more question then. If the venom potency in a black widow is .002 and the venom potency in a recluse is .48, which is more deadly? I'm a little confused but kinda starting to get it.
maybe you can skirt the issue by just talking about typical effects of the bites, how many reported, that kind of thing. Explain that potency varies, dose coming in the bite varies, it will not be exact. Just trying to help presentation wise.
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