Distinct pathophysiological mechanisms of Heterometrus laoticus and Lychas mucronatus scorpion venoms on cardiovascular and renal functions

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  Distinct pathophysiological mechanisms of Heterometrus laoticus and Lychas mucronatus scorpion venoms on cardiovascular and renal functions Abstract Background:    Heterometrus laoticus and Lychas mucronatus are widely distributed in Southeast Asia, yet their pathophysiological effects of both venoms remain poorly characterized due to low human fatality rates. This study compared their venom compositions and acute cardiovascular and renal effects. Methods:   Anesthetized male New Zealand White rabbits were monitored for blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and renal clearance following intravenous administration of crude venom (0.5 mg/kg). Venom components were identified via LC-MS/MS, and hematological/biochemical parameters were assessed. Results:    H. laoticus venom induced a rapid, transient hypotension ( p < 0.05), followed by a mild, prolonged hypotensive phase (up to 120 min). Conversely, L. mucronatus venom elicited a biphasic response: ...

Four new species of dragon pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudotyrannochthoniidae: Spelaeochthonius) from caves in South Korea revealed by integrative taxonomy

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Four new species of dragon pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudotyrannochthoniidae: Spelaeochthonius) from caves in South Korea revealed by integrative taxonomy

Abstract

Karst research in Korea is still in its infancy and the invertebrate fauna of subterranean systems across the country is poorly known. One of the very diverse lineages in caves across Korea, the pseudoscorpions, are almost undocumented although they represent stunning examples of cave adaptations and troglomorphism. In this study, we provide a phylogenetic hypothesis for the pseudoscorpion Spelaeochthonius Morikawa, 1954 (Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudotyrannochthoniidae) in South Korea; a genus that exclusively occurs in caves across China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula. We report seven species of which four are newly described and illustrated based on molecular, distributional and morphological data: Spelaeochthonius dugigulensis sp. nov., S. geumgulensis sp. nov., S. magwihalmigulensis sp. nov. and S. yamigulensis sp. nov. All species are strongly cave-adapted and known from a single cave or karst system only, emphasizing the need to implement conservation strategies for Korean karst systems and their fauna.

Jeong K, Harms D, Yoo J-s, Kim S (2025) Four new species of dragon pseudoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudotyrannochthoniidae: Spelaeochthonius) from caves in South Korea revealed by integrative taxonomy. PLoS One 20(7): e0325375. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325375