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 ...

Feeding behaviour of two buthid scorpions of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 from the central Sahara of Algeria (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

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Feeding behaviour of two buthid scorpions of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 from the central Sahara of Algeria (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

Abstract

Scorpions are predatory arthropods known for their hunting prowess and adaptability in various environments, but studies on the food preference of many species remain rare. The aim of this paper is to study the intra- and inter-guild feeding behaviour and food preference of two of the most abundant buthid scorpions of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828: A. amoreuxi (Audouin, 1825) and A. australis (Linnaeus, 1758), in the Algerian Sahara. Food preference was experimentally assessed using several locally widely available species: the larvae of Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 (laboratory breeding), Pimelia angulata Fabricius, 1775, Gomphocerinae sp., Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758). For each prey species, we calculated the prey acceptance time (PAT), number of stings (NS), voracity time (VT), and the rate of consumption (RC). Our results show that T. molitor was the most preferred prey species, though the fixation and attack time for the prey P. angulata was significantly longer compared to other species. Additionally, A. amoreuxi exhibited higher voracity, while A. australis displayed a shorter feeding duration. The prey species P. americana, Gomphocerinae sp. and M. religiosa were moderately appreciated by the two scorpions. Moreover, the intra-guild predation and cannibalism results show that A. amoreuxi was more aggressive, while A. australis was faster.

Zouatine, O., Bissati, S., Chebout, A., Chedad, A., Sadine, S.E. 2024. Feeding behaviour of two buthid scorpions of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 from the central Sahara of Algeria (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Zoology and Ecology 34(2), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.35513/21658005.2024.2.6