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 ...

Population genetic structure and demographic history of the East Asian wolf spider Pardosa astrigera

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Population genetic structure and demographic history of the East Asian wolf spider Pardosa astrigera

Abstract

The wolf spider Pardosa astrigera L. Koch, 1878, an important biological control agent for pests in agriculture, is widely distributed in various ecosystems across East Asia. This study used mitochondrial DNA and aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of population genetic structure and evolutionary history throughout the species. Mitochondrial gene sequences from 107 samples of P. astrigera from 25 East Asian populations were used for genetic analyses. Our data revealed an asymmetric phylogeographic distribution in two sympatric lineages (1–2) of P. astrigera in continental East Asia. The spatio-temporal pattern of two mitotypes of P. astrigera in this region gives strong support for a Northeast Asian origin during the late Pleistocene (~1.69 million years ago) and the population expansion time of ~74,340 (58,832–104,236) years ago (during the last glacial period) and dual colonization around East Asia from two directions: from North to South and from East to West. Our phylogeographic results suggested that Pleistocene climate oscillations with subsequent fragmentation events and secondary contacts were the major impact factors of the diversification, geographic distribution, and expansion patterns of P. astrigera, and human activities and ballooning probably accelerated its recent dispersal.


Fu D, Liu L, Cheng Y, Chen H, Luo Y (2024) Population genetic structure and demographic history of the East Asian wolf spider Pardosa astrigera. Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(3): 791-802. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.100.125246