Qualitative and Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Venoms from Mexican Rattlesnakes

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  Qualitative and Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Venoms from Mexican Rattlesnakes Abstract Despite the vast biodiversity of Mexican vipers, venom of endemic species has been barely studied. Here we analyzed the venom composition of three endemic species of rattlesnakes: Crotalus aquilus , C. triseriatus , and C. ravus . We used quantitative chromato-mass-spectrometry and compared venoms with C. molossus , a species commonly found in North America, in a comparative and phylogenetic framework. In total, we identified 165 proteins grouped in 19 main protein families, consistent with previous reports for viperid venoms. In C. aquilus and C. triseriatus , the most predominant protein-family type was Serine Proteases, and in C. triseriatus and C. molossus it was Snake Venom Metalloproteases. The Label-free quantification revealed a high proportion of Snake Venom Metalloproteases in C. aquilus , C. triseriatus , and C. molossus , reaching 28–47% of the total venom. In contrast, in ...

Natural history of Loxosceles chapadensis Bertani, Fukushima & Nagahama, 2010 (Araneae, Sicariidae)

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Natural history of Loxosceles chapadensis Bertani, Fukushima & Nagahama, 2010 (Araneae, Sicariidae)

Summary

Brown spiders of the genus Loxosceles comprise 147 species and are responsible for the most significant spider-borne diseases in South America. There are knowledge gaps for several species, such as Loxosceles chapadensis , whose biological information is scarce, limited to its description in 2010 and to a few publications that mention it in some way. We aim to contribute to the characterization of the natural history of L. chapadensis , as well as to expand knowledge about its distribution. A total of 457 specimens were collected through active searching between 2022-2024 in seven locations (six caves) in Bahia, Brazil. The sampling areas in the caves were marked according to microclimatic variables. Temperature and humidity were considered environmentally homogeneous, but the spatial distribution of the spiders was heterogeneous, determined by luminosity. We conclude that L. chapadensis is a cave-dwelling spider, endemic to the Brazilian Caatinga environments with high-altitude xeric geomorphological and vegetation characteristics, with records so far in the states of Bahia and Piauí. Its occurrence in places with a large tourist flow requires care in the management plan of the caves where it occurs.

de Sá, J., Brazil, T., Mise, Y., & Lira-da-Silva, R. (2025). Natural history of Loxosceles chapadensis Bertani, Fukushima & Nagahama, 2010 (Araneae, Sicariidae). Bulletin of the Emílio Goeldi Museum of Pará - Natural Sciences , 20 (1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.46357/bcnaturais.v20i1.1005