First insular record and DNA barcoding of Euscorpius vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015 from Trizonia Island (Fokida, Greece)

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  First insular record and DNA barcoding of Euscorpius vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015 from Trizonia Island (Fokida, Greece) Abstract Euscorpius vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), originally described from Aitoloakarnania and Fokida (Greece), is herein reported from Trizonia Island in the Gulf of Corinth, representing the first insular record for the species. The examined specimens are consistent with the diagnostic morphology of E. vailatii . The first molecular data for the species are provided, based on both mainland and insular populations. Comparative analyses further highlight the distinctiveness of E. vailatii from geographically close congeners, while phylogenetic results indicate a sister-taxon relationship with E. erymanthius , supporting a Quaternary biogeographic history shaped by the evolution of the Gulf of Corinth system. Kalaentzis, K., Frigioni, F., Panagiotopoulos, A., Tzoras, E., Minoudi, S., & Triantafyllidis, A. 2026 . First insul...

Latrodectus spp. toxins outside venom glands: past, present and future

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Latrodectus spp. toxins outside venom glands: past, present and future

ABSTRACT

Latrodectus spp. are one of the highly poisonous spiders known in the world. Interestingly, the spiders not only produce and secrete toxins by their venom glands, but also have toxic components in other parts of the adult spiders, and even in the newborn spiderlings and unhatched eggs. The venom and venom toxins secreted by their venom glands have been quite extensively studied and, comparatively, the study on the toxins outside venom glands is limited. Although the toxins outside venom glands were discovered at a very early time, it is not until recently that the molecular basis and mechanism of the toxicity outside venom glands have been relatively systematically investigated, which have significantly expanded our understanding of the spider toxins. This review summarizes the progresses in the research on the Latrodectus spp. particularly black widow spider toxins outside venom glands, with an emphasis on the toxins from the spider eggs.
Wang, X. (2025). Latrodectus spp. Toxins outside venom glands: Past, present and future. Toxicon, 108437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108437