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 ...

From burrows to spotlight: first description of the female of Eresus lavrosii Mcheidze, 1997 (Araneae, Eresidae), with notes on the natural history

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From burrows to spotlight: first description of the female of Eresus lavrosii Mcheidze, 1997 (Araneae, Eresidae), with notes on the natural history

Abstract

Eresidae (velvet spiders) is a relatively small family of spiders, most-diversified in the African continent. The present study provides the first description of the female of Eresus lavrosii Mcheidze, 1997, which has remained undiscovered for over two decades. We also briefly review the species’ history and add knowledge of its ecology, biology, and distribution. Diagnostic drawings and digital photographs of female and male copulatory organs, alongside COI barcoding results, photographs of live and preserved specimens, and of microhabitat are also presented.

Seropian A, Bulbulashvili N, Makharadze G, Kovács G (2025) From burrows to spotlight: first description of the female of Eresus lavrosii Mcheidze, 1997 (Araneae, Eresidae), with notes on the natural history. Caucasiana 4: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3897/caucasiana.4.e151922