Unlike most sea snakes which feed on fishes, Aipysurus eydouxii feeds on fish eggs. Because of unique feeding habits, we completed the cDNA library of its venom glands. Interestingly, the only neurotoxin gene shows a dinucleotide deletion resulting in a frame shift and premature termination. Thus the major toxin gene is changed into a pseudogene. We sequenced 16 PLA₂ enzymes and found that their evolution is slowed down significantly in this unique snake. We proposed that the change in feeding habit has released the natural selection pressure on the evolution of toxins and has affected the venom composition.

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