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The appearance of a caterpillar can often repel a predator: its markings and certain body parts can make it seem poisonous, or bigger in size and thus threatening, or non-edible. Some types of caterpillars are indeed poisonous or distasteful and their bright coloring warns predators of this .
Caterpillars of many species can cause irritation by their hollow body hairs that envenom or detach easily, or can be poisonous if ingested. [5] Prior to investigations into Lonomia caterpillars, it was not known that caterpillars could produce toxins in sufficient quantities to kill a human.
Deadliest animals as of 2016 [1]. This is a list of the deadliest animals to humans worldwide, measured by the number of humans killed per year. Different lists have varying criteria and definitions, so lists from different sources disagree and can be contentious.
The caterpillar has been reported to cause irritation to humans. [1] [2] [3] Like all limacodids, the legs are shortened and the prolegs are reduced to suction cups. The "arms" or tubercles can fall off without harming the caterpillar, aiding the larva in defense. The larvae are 1.5–2.5 centimetres (0.59–0.98 in) in length. [1] [2]
Effects from the poisonous bristles under their fur have been compared with a wasp or jellyfish sting. The Initial symptom of being stung by a puss caterpillar is usually just a painful skin ...
Hairs from the caterpillars are toxic for humans, [5] causing a poison ivy-like itchy rash of up to sometimes weeks-long duration due to mechanical and chemical irritation. [6] [7] Direct contact with larvae is not necessary, as the hairs are shed and can become windblown. [5] Toxins in the hairs remain potent for up to three years.
[1] [2] They are often distinguished from poisonous animals, which instead passively deliver their toxins (called poison) to their victims upon contact such as through inhalation, absorption through the skin, or after being ingested. [1] [2] [3] The only difference between venomous animals and poisonous animals is how they deliver the toxins. [3]
The LD 50 of the Lonomia venom is 0.19 mg for an 18–20 g mouse ; however, due to the small amount of venom in the bristles of the caterpillar, the rate of human fatality is only 1.7%. [ 5 ] While there are more than a dozen species in the genus, the most troublesome species is Lonomia obliqua , and it is this species on which most of the ...