ABSTRACT
Soles of the genus Pardachirus can be distinguished from all other flatfishes by the presence of a series of pores at the bases of the dorsal and anal fins. This chaapter demonstrates that the milky fluid from these pores in the Red Sea species, the "Moses sole"--Pardachirusmarmoratus --was toxic and lethal to teleost fishes. The amount of toxic solution that can be pressed out of a large Moses sole is about 2 mL. "Milking" the sole was done by blotting the skin dry with a paper towel, pressing on the glands, and drawing the secretion into a pipette. In 1972 and 1973 tests on captive sharks were made at the Heinz Steinitz Marine Biology Laboratory of Hebrew University at Elat, Israel. A control fish was presented before or at the start of each test and, if it was not eaten by the sharks within 3 minutes, the test was postponed.
