Beyond Venom and Constriction: Bite Performance and Trophic Ecology in the Genus Drymarchon

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  Beyond Venom and Constriction: Bite Performance and Trophic Ecology in the Genus Drymarchon Abstract Snakes exhibit extreme cranial kinesis that facilitates ingestion of prey with large cross-sectional area, but this ability is widely predicted to reduce bite performance due to decreased structural rigidity. Consequently, most large-bodied snakes rely on envenomation or constriction to subdue prey prior to ingestion. Species within the genus Drymarchon represent a notable exception: these large, non-venomous, non-constricting snakes routinely consume a wide range of prey, including large and potentially dangerous vertebrates, using only simple seizing and pinioning behaviors. Here, we quantify bite performance in three species of Drymarchon ( D. corais, D. couperi, and D. melanurus ), examine morphological predictors of biting performance, compare biting pressure to constriction pressure in similarly sized snakes, and synthesize dietary records across the genus. Our results sh...

Confirming the presence of Zimiris doriae Simon, 1882 (Araneae: Prodidomidae) in Venezuela and list of the spider species introduced in the country

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Confirming the presence of Zimiris doriae Simon, 1882 (Araneae: Prodidomidae) in Venezuela and list of the spider species introduced in the country


Abstract

The spider Zimiris doriae Simon, 1882, is recorded for the first time in Venezuela, based on a female specimen collected inside a house at La Victoria, Aragua state. Furthermore, a preliminary list of 10 families and 24 introduced spider species found in Venezuela is provided.

Villarreal, Osvaldo, and David Chamé-Vázquez. 2024. “Confirming the Presence of <em>Zimiris doriae</Em> Simon, 1882 (Araneae: Prodidomidae) in Venezuela and List of the Spider Species Introduced in the Country”. Revista Chilena De Entomología 50 (4). https://www.biotaxa.org/rce/article/view/86372.