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 ...

Taxonomic revision of the elusive Neotropical running crab spider genus Fageia Mello-Leitão, 1929 (Araneae, Philodromidae)

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Taxonomic revision of the elusive Neotropical running crab spider genus Fageia Mello-Leitão, 1929 (Araneae, Philodromidae)

Fageia Mello-Leitão, 1929 is a genus of the running crab spider family Philodromidae, recognizable by its pentagonal abdomen and spatulate setae. Like most Neotropical representatives in the family, its systematics is poorly known, and specimens of Fageia are scarce in zoological collections. Here, the genus is newly diagnosed and revised, resulting in four valid species: Fageia amabilis Mello-Leitão, 1929, Fageia panamensis sp. nov., Fageia aripuanan sp. nov., and Fageia moschata (Mello-Leitão, 1943), which is considered a senior synonym of Fageia meridionalis Mello-Leitão, 1943 syn. nov. and Fageia rosea (Mello-Leitão, 1944) syn. nov. Ebo carmineus Mello-Leitão, 1944 syn. nov. is newly transferred to Fageia and synonymized with F. moschata. The species Fageia clara Mello-Leitão, 1937 is transferred to Tmarus Simon, 1875 (Thomisidae) as Tmarus clarus (Mello-Leitão, 1937) comb. nov., but since this species and Fageia concolor Mello-Leitão, 1947 cannot be properly identified, they are both considered species inquirendae. The four valid species are described and illustrated, males of the genus are described for the first time, and a map with the updated distribution is provided.

Hector Baruch, Pereira Schinelli, Jayme Massim Marques, André Wanderley, do Prado, Renato Augusto Teixeira, Renner Luiz, Cerqueira Baptista. Taxonomic revision of the elusive Neotropical running crab spider genus Fageia Mello-Leitão, 1929 (Araneae, Philodromidae)[J]. Zoological Research: Diversity and Conservation. DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2097-3772.2024.004