First record of bird and spider species preying on dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in the Amazon Forest

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  First record of bird and spider species preying on dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in the Amazon Forest Abstract Predator-prey relationships are critical for establishing trophic networks, but our understanding of these interactions is hindered by a lack of records in tropical rainforest ecosystems. Although literature indicates that dung beetles may be preyed by a wide range of animal species, surprisingly, there are no such antagonistic records between dung beetles and other species in the Amazon forest. The objective of this study is to present two records of such interactions in the Amazon, involving a bird and a spider species preying on dung beetles. The bird  Galbula albirostris  Latham, 1790 (Aves: Galbulidae) was observed feeding on a Deltochilini dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in a  terra firme  forest, while a  Canthidum  sp. was captured in a  Trichonephila  sp. (Araneae: Nephilidae) spider web on a...

Proteome Analysis of the Six-Eyed Sand-Spider Sicarius thomisoides Venom

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Proteome Analysis of the Six-Eyed Sand-Spider Sicarius thomisoides Venom

Abstract

Spiders of the Sicarius genera (Araneae: Sicariidae) are commonly known as six-eyed sand spiders. Of the species described in Latin America, the species S. thomisoides has previously been shown to possess venom with a toxic potential comparable to that observed in the venom of the spider L. laeta. Although identifying the phospholipase D activity in the venom of S. thomisoides, it is still unknown what other components are part of the venom. In this study, we described the identification of the main protein components of S. thomisoides venom, revealing that the phospholipase D family were the majority toxins, followed by Astacin-like metalloproteinases and serine proteases. Additionally, the presence of CRISP-type allergens and peptides from the U-PHTX-Pmx family was identified for the first time in venoms from Sicarius genera. Identifying the components of the Sicarius spider venom is an essential step to understanding its toxicological potential.

Arán-Sekul, Tomás, Juan San Francisco, José Rojas, Kyung-Mee Moon, Leonard Foster, and Alejandro Catalán. 2025. "Proteome Analysis of the Six-Eyed Sand-Spider Sicarius thomisoides Venom" Toxins 17, no. 10: 486. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins17100486