Transcriptomic Insights Into the Evolution of Snake Venom: Mechanisms, Diversity, and Adaptation

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  Transcriptomic Insights Into the Evolution of Snake Venom: Mechanisms, Diversity, and Adaptation Abstract Snake venoms are evolutionarily refined biochemical arsenals composed of diverse toxins with complex functional roles in predation, defense, and competition. Over the past 2 decades, transcriptomic approaches have transformed venom research by enabling high-resolution insights into gene expression dynamics, molecular diversity, and the evolutionary mechanisms driving venom variation across lineages. In this review, we present a comprehensive synthesis of snake venom transcriptomics literature and propose a conceptual framework structured around three major axes: (1) gene family expansion through duplication and neofunctionalization; (2) regulatory complexity encompassing transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic modulation; and (3) ecological selection pressures shaping venom profiles in response to diet, habitat, and interspecific interactions. We integrate findin...

Activity pattern of Tityus serrulatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in an urban area in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

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Activity pattern of Tityus serrulatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in an urban area in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

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Tityus serrulatus Lutz & Mello (Scorpiones: Buthidae) is a scorpion endemic to Brazil adapted to synanthropic life, colonising and proliferating in the most populous urban areas in the country. Here, we evaluated its activity pattern in an urban cemetery in the municipality of Americana, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Additionally, we tested the effects of species reproduction and climatic seasons on the activity pattern. The Saudade Municipal Cemetery was sampled between 17:00 and 22:00 h during 455 nights from April 2006 to December 2013. The circular mean and the peak of activity were quantified for the total number of specimens, and for specimens with and without broods. Activity patterns were inferred using a rosette diagram. Circular analysis of variance was used to investigate if activity patterns changed across climatic seasons (wet and dry seasons). A total of 25,969 records (467 specimens with broods) were obtained in the field. The circular mean varied between 19:44 and 19:48 h, and the peak of activity occurred between 18:00 and 20:00 h for all groups. Peaks of activity differed from that recorded under laboratory conditions (between 21:00 and 23:00 h). Activity patterns did not differ for specimens with broods, suggesting that the reproductive condition does not alter the species activity pattern. The activity pattern differed between wet and dry seasons for all specimens and specimens without broods, but differences were small and probably biologically irrelevant, probably because the species tolerates a wide variation in abiotic conditions. Deepening the knowledge of the behaviour activity of T. serrulatus can have practical applications for health surveillance agencies, aiming to increase the effectiveness of scorpion control in urban areas.


Brites-Neto, J., Garcia Willmer, J. N., & Delciellos, A. C. Activity pattern of Tityus serrulatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in an urban area in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1111/mve.12762