Snake Venom and Antivenom Pharmacology

  SNAKE VENOM & ANTIVENOM Chemistry, Composition, Mechanisms and Pharmacology Abstract This integrated teaching session for Phase III MBBS students focused on the pharmacology and toxicology of snake venom and the principles of antivenom therapy. The lecture covered the chemistry, composition, mechanisms of action, and pharmacological effects of snake venoms and antivenoms. Rational use of antivenoms, indications, administration protocols, adverse reactions, and supportive management strategies were discussed. The session also highlighted the translational importance of venom-derived compounds in modern drug development. Recent advances in antivenom research, including recombinant human monoclonal antibodies, toxin-specific inhibitors, synthetic antibody technologies, and next-generation broad-spectrum antivenoms, were reviewed. Current discoveries and emerging approaches aimed at improving efficacy, safety, affordability, and accessibility of antivenom therapy were also explor...

A new troglobitic species of the genus Porrhomma (Araneae: Linyphiidae) from Bosnia and Herzegovina with taxonomic remarks on its relative Porrhomma egeria Simon, 1884

 


A new troglobitic species of the genus Porrhomma (Araneae: Linyphiidae) from Bosnia and Herzegovina with taxonomic remarks on its relative Porrhomma egeria Simon, 1884

Abstract

A new species of the spider genus Porrhomma from Bosnia and Herzegovina, P. ozrenense sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on male and female specimens collected from Mokra Megara cave in the area of Ozren Mountain. It is the first troglobitic Porrhomma species described from the Dinarides and the Balkan Peninsula in general. The main troglomorphic characters of the new species are extreme eye reduction, leg elongation, and noticeable depigmentation. A detailed description, photographs of the habitus and copulatory organs of the new species, and a distribution map are provided. Its relationship with other closely related species is discussed, especially in regard to the variability or taxonomic inconsistency of the European species P. egeria. The great faunal potential of the cave is emphasized and conservation measures are proposed to preserve its rich biodiversity.

Komnenov, M. (2025) “A new troglobitic species of the genus Porrhomma (Araneae: Linyphiidae) from Bosnia and Herzegovina with taxonomic remarks on its relative Porrhomma egeria Simon, 1884”, Zootaxa. Auckland, New Zealand, 5642(2), pp. 178–190. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5642.2.5.