Lesser weever

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The lesser weever, Echiichthys vipera, is a hazardous Weever fish of the family of the Trachinidae, the order of Perciformes, and the class of the Actinopterygii. The fish is generally found on the sandy seabeds of the open sea near the shore. Lesser weevers are disturbed by swimmers whom they sting. Weevers also sting fishers while they clean their fishing nets.

The general size of the fish is 15.0 cm SL. It has an elongated body. Its color can be described as greyish-brown on the back and silvery-white on its sides. It has no spines in front of the eyes.

1 Habitat
2 Biology
3 Affect on humans
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Habitat

Lesser weevers are found in marine and demersal areas. The fish live in a subtropical climate. The coordinates of Location are 59°N - 20°N, 19°W - 36°E [1]. Due to its location, it has minor commerce an serves as a gamefish. The breed of fish can be found from the Eastern Atlantic; the North Sea to the Mediterranean, Morocco and Madeira.

[edit] Biology

The LWF, is littoral and benthic, on sandy, muddy bottoms, ranging from a few meters to 150 m (in the winter). Resting on the bottom, its position can be described as with eyes buried and the tip of the first dorsal fin exposed. Because of its poison and for being near beaches, it is considered to be one of Europe's most dangerous weever species. There are venom glands located on its first dorsal fin, which is completely black, and on the gill cover.

[edit] Affect on humans

The sting of a weever is acute and intense. The pain frequently is radiated to the area around the limb.[2] The seriousness of the pain meets its peak 30 minutes following the sting and then it decreases at a slow pace. However, some pain may remain on the affected area up to [24 hours, while sometimes tingles sensations including other sensibility alterations. Seldom, pain can be propagated to the tributary lymphnodes, (i.g. in the groin when the sting is on the sole of the foot, as in armpit if the sting is on the hands.)

The First aid consists of common reassurance to the patient of the realtive harmlessness of the sting. After the wound has been washed, put into hot water for at least an hour, and the temperature makes the skin immune to pain, the heat obsoletes the toxin that was responsible for the pain.