Evidence of venom variability associated with venom extraction interval in the monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia)

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  Evidence of venom variability associated with venom extraction interval in the monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia) Abstract Snake venom variability is a critical factor in antivenom production. Although several influencing factors have been studied, the impact of extraction interval on venom properties remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of various extraction intervals on venom yield, the percentage of dry weight (%Dw), and composition in the monocled cobra ( Naja kaouthia ). Twenty-five captive snakes were randomly allocated to five groups, each undergoing a control extraction followed by a repeated extraction at 1, 4, 7, 10, or 14 days. Venom profiles were characterized using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results indicated that while fresh venom yield remained stable across all intervals, %Dw significantly decreased in extractions performed between 1 and 10 days, ...

A new specimen of whip scorpion (Arachnida; Thelyphonida) from the Crato Formation, Lower Cretaceous of Brazil

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A new specimen of whip scorpion (Arachnida; Thelyphonida) from the Crato Formation, Lower Cretaceous of Brazil

Abstract

Fossil whip scorpions (Thelyphonida) are extremely rare in the Crato Formation strata, Araripe Basin, Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) of Brazil. Only four specimens of whip scorpions have been described in this unit so far. All specimens have been assigned to the genus Mesoproctus Dunlop and only one species has been formally proposed, M. rowlandi Dunlop. For Mesozoic times, apart from Crato Formation, whip scorpions are only documented by two species in the amber deposits of the Hukawng Valley, northern Myanmar. In this scenario, each new discovery of Mesozoic whip scorpion is highly important. In addition, we present the first documented example of book lungs from a fossil whip scorpion. Here, we present and illustrate a new specimen of whip scorpion found in the Crato strata. 

Alberto, G. de M., Bezerra, F. I., Giupponi, A. P. de L., & Mendes, M. (2023). A new specimen of whip scorpion (Arachnida; Thelyphonida) from the Crato Formation, Lower Cretaceous of Brazil. Revista Brasileira De Paleontologia, 26(3), 147–155. https://doi.org/10.4072/rbp.2023.3.01