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 ...

An integrative study of a new species of Melloina Brignoli: an additional support for Melloinidae new family (Araneae: Mygalomorphae)

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An integrative study of a new species of Melloina Brignoli: an additional support for Melloinidae new family (Araneae: Mygalomorphae)

ABSTRACT

Melloina is a genus that has long occupied an unstable taxonomic position, fluctuating between the families Paratropididae and Theraphosidae. The most recent proposal, in 2020, placed it within Theraphosidae. Alternatively, the phylogenetic relationships among Paratropididae and Theraphosidae have been controversial and subject to revision over time. Early studies suggested Paratropididae as the sister group of Theraphosidae, but recent molecular analyses have revealed that Barychelidae is more closely related to Theraphosidae than Paratropididae (Paratropis). In this study, we describe a new species, Melloina condesa sp. n., based on a morphological and multilocus approach. Phylogenetic results, using a total evidence framework, recovered Melloina as an independent lineage more closely related to Theraphosidae and Barychelidae. Based on these findings and on the comparison of diagnostic characters among the taxa under discussion, we propose a new family, Melloinidae, to include all species of Melloina.

Perafán, C., Montes de Oca, L., & Pérez-Miles, F. (2025). An integrative study of a new species of Melloina Brignoli: an additional support for Melloinidae new family (Araneae: Mygalomorphae). Journal of Natural History, 59(37–40), 2337–2353. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2025.2555445