The chromosome-level genome of Mesobuthus martensii provides insights into its evolution and the diversity of venom peptides

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  The chromosome-level genome of Mesobuthus martensii provides insights into its evolution and the diversity of venom peptides Abstract Mesobuthus martensii , the source species of the traditional Chinese medicine “Quanxie”, has long been utilized for its therapeutic properties. Venom peptides are recognized as the major active molecular basis of these pharmacological activities. Despite this, their development as therapeutic agents remains poorly explored. In this study, we performed an integrated multi-omics investigation to systematically explore the venom peptides of Mesobuthus martensii . We generated a chromosome-level genome assembly of Mesobuthus martensii using third-generation sequencing technologies, yielding a genome size of 1.08 Gb with a contig N50 of 46.46 Mb. Integrated genomic and transcriptomic analyses led to the identification of 51 putative novel venom peptide candidates. From the broader venom peptide set, five lysine- and arginine-rich candidates were select...

Riding on ants: A new report of this interesting behavior in Attacobius spiders (Araneae: Corinnidae)

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Riding on ants: A new report of this interesting behavior in Attacobius spiders (Araneae: Corinnidae)

Abstract

Ants are among the most ecologically dominant animals in several terrestrial ecosystems. Some myrmecophile species use ants to transport themselves, a behavior known as phoresy or phoresis. Although phoresis is commonly reported in arachnids such as pseudoscorpions or acari, it is very unusual among spiders. Phoresis on ants has only been reported in one genus of spiders, the sac-spider Attacobius Mello-Leitão, 1925 and for only two Brazilian species. In this report, we describe this amazing behavior in Attacobius nigripes (Mello-Leitão, 1942) for the first time in association with a new host, the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex lobicornis Emery, 1888. This record extends the geographic distribution of this spider species to the southwest of Argentina, from the Chaco into the Monte Desert region. We briefly describe the riding behavior of spiders and discuss the myrmecophile association between this species and A. lobicornis. More studies are needed to understand the evolutionary context of this association.

G. Pompozzi, F. Fernández Campón "Riding on ants: A new report of this interesting behavior in Attacobius spiders (Araneae: Corinnidae)," The Journal of Arachnology, 52(2), 139-142, (27 August 2024)