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, ...

First records of Clubiona hitchinsi Saaristo, 2002 on Ascension Island (Araneae, Clubionidae)

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First records of Clubiona hitchinsi Saaristo, 2002 on Ascension Island (Araneae, Clubionidae)

Abstract
Clubiona hitchinsi Saaristo, 2002, previously known from the Seychelles and French Polynesia, is newly recorded from Ascension Island, based on comparison of the Ascension specimens against two paratypes. The first detailed figures of the endogyne, based on a paratype, are provided. Characters in this species not found in European species of Clubiona Latreille, 1804 but found in the misplaced hystrix-group in Asia—namely the presence of a spine at the tip of the cymbium, retrolateral tibial apophysis with spine-like tip, and presence of a keel on the tegulum in the male, and copulatory ducts running on the posterior side in the genitalia of the female—are discussed.

Sherwood D, Marusik YM, Sharp A (2023) First records of Clubiona hitchinsi Saaristo, 2002 on Ascension Island (Araneae, Clubionidae). Check List 19(6): 833-838. https://doi.org/10.15560/19.6.833