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 ...

Trapdoor spiders of the family Nemesiidae Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) from Kosovo

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Trapdoor spiders of the family Nemesiidae Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) from Kosovo

Abstract
The Balkans is a recognized biodiversity hotspot. Yet, for many parts of this region, knowledge about the diversity of many taxa is limited. This is particularly true for the spiders of Kosovo, for which increased efforts to elucidate the actual diversity have been started only recently. Here, based on traditional morphological analyses and DNA barcoding data, we present the first records of Nemesiidae Simon, 1889 from Kosovo, including the descriptions of Brachythele kosovarica Geci & Sherwood sp. nov. and Nemesia dukagjinica Geci & Sherwood sp. nov.

I’d like to sincerely thank Danniella Sherwood for kindly sharing this manuscript with me through ResearchGate.

Geci, Donard & Ibrahimi, Halil & Bilalli, Astrit & Musliu, Milaim & Koblmüller, Stephan & Sherwood, Danniella. (2025). Trapdoor spiders of the family Nemesiidae Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) from Kosovo. Arachnology. 20. 281-286.