Venom composition of the Iberian adder (Vipera seoanei) from northern Portugal reveals limited sex and size variation

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  Venom composition of the Iberian adder (Vipera seoanei) from northern Portugal reveals limited sex and size variation Abstract Snake venom is a complex and dynamic ecological trait, with high potential for intraspecific variation. In this study, the venom composition of the Iberian adder ( Vipera seoanei ) from the Peneda Mountains of northern Portugal was investigated to explore whether venom varies with body size and sex. Venom proteomes from six individuals representing juvenile, subadult, and adult males and females were characterised using LC–MS/MS, while individual variation was assessed from SDS–PAGE profiles of 18 snakes. LC–MS/MS identified 144 proteins, dominated by phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 ), snake venom serine proteases (svSP), and C-type lectin-related proteins (CTL). Descriptive comparisons revealed contrasting individual profiles, particularly between the juvenile male, characterised by high svSP and svMP abundance, and the juvenile female, characterised by high ...

The first occurrence records of Kukulcania hibernalis (Hentz, 1842) from Ascension Island and Saint Barthélemy (Araneae: Filistatidae)

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The first occurrence records of Kukulcania hibernalis (Hentz, 1842) from Ascension Island and Saint Barthélemy (Araneae: Filistatidae)

Abstract

The Southern House Spider Kukulcania hibernalis (Hentz, 1842), native to coastal eastern Mexico and the eastern United States, is widely distributed in Central and South America, the Caribbean, and has been recorded from Liberia and the Canary Islands. Recent examination of material from Ascension Island and Saint Barthélemy newly confirm its presence as a non-native species on these islands. Kukulcania hibernalis is synanthropic, which has presumably allowed it to colonise many non-indigenous countries. In addition to reporting the new localities, we map the updated global distribution of K. hibernalis.

Sherwood, Danniella & Sharp, Adam. (2023). The first occurrence records of Kukulcania hibernalis (Hentz, 1842) from Ascension Island and Saint Barthélemy (Araneae: Filistatidae). Opuscula Zoologica. 205-209. 10.18348/opzool.2023.9.205. Danniella Sherwood via ResearchGate