New synonymy and combinations in Megamyrmaekion Reuss, 1834 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)

Posted by
  New synonymy and combinations in Megamyrmaekion Reuss, 1834 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) Abstract The drassodine ground spider genus Megamyrmaekion Reuss, 1834 is recorded from Vietnam for the first time as a result of the following new combinations here proposed: M. luridum (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874) comb. nov., ex Drassodes Westring, 1851, and M. vickyae (Sherwood, Marusik, Sharp & Ashmole, 2023) comb. nov., ex Australoechemus Schmidt & Piepho, 1994. Detailed redescriptions and illustrations of the male and female of M. luridum comb. nov., from Vietnam are provided. Additionally, A. celer Schmidt & Piepho, 1994 syn. nov., is recognized as a junior synonym of M. caudatum Reuss, 1834. Drassus tarrhunensis Karsch, 1881 is removed from the synonymy of M. caudatum and provisionally transferred to the genus Megamyrmaekion as M. tarrhunense (Karsch, 1881) comb. nov. Truong, B.P., Le, T.T.S., Uyen, P.T.T., Phan, Q.T. & Hoang, Q.D. (2026) New synonymy and combinations in Meg...

What is animal venom? Rethinking a manipulative weapon

Posted by

 


What is animal venom? Rethinking a manipulative weapon

Abstract

The scientific study of animal venoms covers a broad phylogenetic domain. We argue that the true extent of this domain has been obscured by researchers having overlooked the biological essence of venom. Venoms manipulate the physiological functioning of recipients to produce extended phenotypes that are beneficial to the venom producer and detrimental to its victim. The ability to produce extended phenotypes in living victims, such as prey paralysis, distinguishes venom from saliva. Understanding venom from this perspective substantially broadens the phylogenetic domain of venom to include taxa that use toxic secretions to feed on plants and manipulate sexual partners, and it paves the way for unifying the field of venomics with the fields that study invertebrate–plant interactions and sexual conflict.
Jenner, R. A., Casewell, N. R., & Undheim, E. A. (2025). What is animal venom? Rethinking a manipulative weapon. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2025.05.009