What is Greater weever? What are its features?
Greater weever is a very poisonous fish species seen in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions. It is also known as multiplier fish and dragon fish. The most poisonous species known.
The average length of the Greater weever fish, which is scientifically included in the Trachinidae family, is 25 cm. Its maximum length can be 53 cm and its maximum weight can be 1.9 kilograms. The back part is red, the body part is blue, and the lower part is gray.
The Greater weever has poisonous spines on its spine and back that are slightly bent towards the tail. The spines of the Greater weever fish are covered with a sheath-like structure. If the sheath is ruptured, poison will leak from its body.
Its mouth is inclined upwards and its eyes are quite straight. It is a flat fish. Its lower jaw is longer than its upper jaw, and its head is flat and larger. There are also thorns around the corners of its eyes. The breeding season lasts from June to August. Greater weever reproduce by laying eggs and prefer temperate waters to spawn.
Can you eat Greater weever?
Greater weever is rich in protein, omega 3, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, B vitamins, calcium, iodine, potassium and phosphorus. Greater weever cannot be eaten due to the poison it secretes.
Where Do Greater weever Live?
Greater weever generally lives in sandy, muddy and gravelly bottoms at depths of 1-30 meters in temperate seas. However, it can also be found at depths of 1-150 meters.
This fish, found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the coastal regions of Europe, is one of the most poisonous fish in the Mediterranean.
Greater weever can be found along the entire ocean coast from Norway to Morocco. Three species of Greater weever live in the seas of our country. These species are almost similar to each other, except for minor body differences.
What Does the Greater weever Eat?
Greater weever feeds on small invertebrates and fish. These fish hide very well in the sand to catch their prey and hunt throughout the night.
How Long Does It Live?
Greater weever live for an average of 12 years.
How to Give First Aid After a Greater weever Sting?
The Greater weever buries itself in the sand and waits for its prey, which is why it poses a great danger to humans. If a person who swims barefoot steps on a trachonya fish, he will be in unbearable pain.
If you come into contact with the poisonous spines, especially on the fin and back parts of the trachone, you must intervene quickly before the pain increases. First, the contact area should be checked and if there is a thorn, it should be removed with tweezers. The area that touched the thorn should be washed with salt water and the poison should be helped to come out. It should not be washed with fresh water. You should squeeze the area where the thorn stings to expel the poisonous blood from the area, but you should not try to suck the blood with your mouth. It will also be beneficial to dip the injured area in vinegar and wait. The healthiest solution is to go to the nearest health institution after the first intervention.
The wound should be left open and should not be closed with tape or stitches to ensure drainage. Closing the wound increases the risk of infection. The use of antibiotics is controversial, but preventive antibiotics may be given due to the possibility of infection. There is no antidote for traconia stings. The proteins in trakonian venom lose their properties in waters of 45 - 50 degrees. For this reason, washing the poisoned area abundantly with hot water is very effective.
What are the Symptoms of Greater weever Sting?
Greater weever do not deliberately attack humans unless they perceive a threat. When people swimming in the sea step on this fish buried in the sand, poisoning occurs. Another situation where fish can transmit poison is careless fishing. Fishermen usually come across the Greater weever while cleaning the fish in the net.
The venom of the Trakonian fish contains the active ingredient called "Dracotoxin". The spines of the fish are strong enough to pierce the skin. The pain of the sting is instantaneous, but over time it spreads to the entire area. The pain usually reaches its peak in 30 minutes and lasts for 24 minutes. It disappears within hours. However, it may continue for days. Redness, bruising and a burning sensation occur at the sting site for a period of 6 to 12 hours. Swelling may occur in the affected limb for up to a week.
Symptoms of a trachonia sting include headache, sweating, fever, chills, seizure, fainting, nausea, low blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, irregular breathing, shortness of breath. They range from difficulty to serious trauma such as paralysis and loss of speech. Although it is not common, death due to poison may occur depending on the person's allergic status. Sometimes a wound may occur at the puncture site, which takes months to heal.
Greater weever can survive out of water for a long time and the poison can be active for hours even if the fish dies.
What Should Be Done to Prevent Greater weever Sting?
Since Greater weever lives in sandy and muddy bottoms, shuffling your feet while swimming on the shore will cause the fish to move away from the sound and situation, disturbed. In this way, you can get rid of not only the trachonya fish but also many other sea creatures.
Divers should avoid contact with or approaching these fish.
Since Greater weever poison can remain active for hours, you should be careful around dead fish and not handle them.
How to Catch Greater weever Fish?
Since Greater weever fish does not have any commercial value, it is not considered a game fish even though it is not among the protected fish species. It is usually caught by chance while hunting for other fish. Some fishermen may go hunting to see the trachonya fish more closely. It is a very difficult fish to catch. Fishermen who want to catch trachone fish mostly use fake bait and spin fishing gear.
