Snakebite knowledge among healthcare workers in Gabon: A health facility-based cross-sectional survey

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  Snakebite knowledge among healthcare workers in Gabon: A health facility-based cross-sectional survey Abstract Background Snakebite envenoming remains a neglected health issue in many countries, including Gabon, where the limited availability of snakebite-specific training, clinical guidelines, and essential resources at health facilities may lead to gaps in healthcare workers’ knowledge and confidence and the use of non-recommended treatment practices. This study aimed to assess healthcare workers’ knowledge of snakebite management in the Ogooué et des Lacs department of Moyen-Ogooué province in Gabon. Methods From June to August 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional survey targeting all healthcare workers in Ogooué et des Lacs who may be involved in snakebite management. We collected information on prior training, self-perceived knowledge of snakebite management, symptom recognition, clinical management practices, and snake identification. Knowledge was assessed using 10 true/fa...

Illustrated Catalog of African brush-footed trapdoor spiders: type specimens from the Royal Museum for Central Africa (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Barychelidae)

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Illustrated Catalog of African brush-footed trapdoor spiders: type specimens from the Royal Museum for Central Africa (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Barychelidae)

The brush-footed trapdoor spiders (Barychelidae Simon, 1889) represent a family of mygalomorphs that includes 285 species spread in 39 genera. Barychelids are mainly tropical spiders, distributed from South America to Oceania. The African barychelid fauna is the second most diverse in number of spiders described within the family, with 41 species known from nine different genera. Following several published taxonomic works of Pierre L. G. Benoit in the mid-1960s, few taxonomic revisions of Barychelidae have been proposed since from the African continent. To avoid deterioration and loss of information from the type specimens, we have made efforts to digitise these specimens, which serve as the definitive references and physical representations of the species. Among 174 mygalomorph types deposited at the Royal Museum of Central Africa (RMCA) in Belgium, Barychelidae is represented by 16 species from five different genera. The present paper aims to provide illustrations of important morphological characters. Additionally, we herein considered the species Cyphonisia straba Benoit, 1966, Pisenor selindanus (Benoit, 1966), and Sipalolasma humicola (Benoit, 1965) as species inquirendae, and S. warnantae Benoit, 1966 as senior synonym of S. kissi Benoit, 1966. This work aspires to improve the understanding and accessibility of name-bearing types through the cataloguing and digitisation of type specimens of Barychelidae deposited at the RMCA.

GONZALEZ-FILHO H. M. O., COLPANI-SARTORI M. T., HENRARD A., GUADANUCCI J. P. L. & BRESCOVIT A. D. 2024. — Illustrated Catalog of African brush-footed trapdoor spiders: type specimens from the Royal Museum for Central Africa (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Barychelidae). Zoosystema 46 (26): 671-695. https://doi.org/10.5252/zoosystema2024v46a26. http://zoosystema.com/46/26