Efficacy of neem oil (Azadirachta indica) as an antiparasitic treatment for scorpions (Androctonus bicolor) and its impact on venom production

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  By Guy Haimovitch - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=630184 Efficacy of neem oil (Azadirachta indica) as an antiparasitic treatment for scorpions (Androctonus bicolor) and its impact on venom production Abstract Mite infestations are a recurrent welfare issue that significantly affect the health, venom production, and survival of scorpions, particularly under human care. Chemical acaricides such as permethrins and fipronil, widely used in veterinary medicine for mite and tick control, are contraindicated in scorpions. Since mites and scorpions both belong to the class Arachnida, even minimal exposure can result in severe toxicity or death. Neem oil ( Azadirachta indica ) has been widely recognized for its acaricidal, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Its main compound, azadirachtin, interferes with mite development and reproduction, leading to reduced infestations and egg viability. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a 1...

Refuge preferences and web trap lines: the potential for competitive displacement of endemic katipō Latrodectus katipo by the invasive false katipō Steatoda capensis (Araneae: Theridiidae).

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Refuge preferences and web trap lines: the potential for competitive displacement of endemic katipō Latrodectus katipo by the invasive false katipō Steatoda capensis (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Competitive displacement is a form of interspecific competition. Here, we explore the potential for competitive displacement in refuges of the endangered katipō spider (Latrodectus katipo) by the invasive false katipō (Steatoda capensis) (Araneae, Theridiidae). We conducted experimental assays using artificial refuges to test individual preferences for refuge shape, surface, and height. We also tested how refuge type affects the number of web trap lines used for prey capture. Both species preferred triangular refuges over rectangular refuges, with no evidence of a preference for other refuge types. For reasons which remain unclear, individuals varied in their preferences for surface and height. Katipō spiders showed site fidelity in all three assays, while false katipō spiders only showed site fidelity in the shape and surface assays. However, there was also evidence of individual variation in site fidelity in the shape assay. Spiders constructed more web trap lines beneath the triangular refuges, potentially due to their preference for triangular refuges. We suggest that overlapping refuge preferences, but not web structure, may contribute to competition and the potential for competitive displacement of the katipō by false katipō. Although not exclusively preferred by katipō, introducing artificial triangular refuges in katipō habitats should be tested as a means of supporting the persistence and expansion of katipō populations.


James Joseph Roberts, Anne Wignall, Dianne H. Brunton et al. Refuge preferences and web trap lines: the potential for competitive displacement of endemic katipō Latrodectus katipo by the invasive false katipō Steatoda capensis (Araneae: Theridiidae)., 30 May 2024, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4379057/v1]