See text The genus Lonomia is a moderate-sized group of fairly cryptic saturniid moths from South America, famous not for the adults, but for their highly venomous caterpillars, which are responsible for a few deaths each year,[1] especially in southern Brazil, and the subject of hundreds of published medical studies.

The larvae, like most hemileucines, are covered with urticating hairs, but these caterpillars possess a uniquely potent anticoagulant venom.

[3] A typical envenomation incident involves a person unknowingly leaning against, placing their hand on, or rubbing their arm against a group of these caterpillars that are gathered on the trunk of a tree.

The effects of a dose from multiple caterpillars can be dramatic and severe, including massive internal hemorrhaging, kidney failure, and hemolysis.

As anticoagulants have some very beneficial applications (e.g., prevention of life-threatening blood clots) the research is motivated by the possibility of deriving some pharmaceutically valuable chemicals from the toxin.