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...

Tarantula Cubensis Venom Theranekron-Embedded Hyaluronic Acid and Chitosan-Based Wound Dress Enhances Wound Healing by Ameliorating Histopathological Appearance and Enhancing Growth Factors in Low Doses: In Vitro and In Vivo Study

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Tarantula Cubensis Venom Theranekron-Embedded Hyaluronic Acid and Chitosan-Based Wound Dress Enhances Wound Healing by Ameliorating Histopathological Appearance and Enhancing Growth Factors in Low Doses: In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Abstract

Background

This study aimed to produce wound dressing materials using the multilayer coating method(LbL) with varying doses of theranekron®(T) incorporated into hyaluronic acid (HA)/chitosan(Ch) multilayer films, demonstrating their proliferative effect through in vivo wound model experiments.

Material and Methods

In vitro wound dressings were created by dipping 2 × 2 cm cotton fabrics into T solutions via the LbL method. Four circular wounds (1.5 cm diameter) were made on the dorsal area of 16 rats. Eight groups (control, HA–Ch, T10, T20, T50, T100, T200, and T500) used wound dressings impregnated with six doses of T µg. Dressing changes occurred every other day for 7 days, with rats killed on the 8th day. Skin samples underwent histopathological and histochemical examination, and growth factor expression levels were analyzed via qRT-PCR.

Results

SEM−EDS analysis of treated cotton fabric indicated compositions of 44.79% carbon, 48.56% oxygen, 6.19% nitrogen, and 0.46% calcium. Ch particles were evenly distributed on HA-Ch-coated fibers; however, crystalline structures diminished with increasing doses. Wound healing rates significantly increased in the T20 and T50 groups, showing reductions of 41.32% and 44.59% from day 1 to day 7. Masson trichrome staining revealed the most pronounced collagen formation in the T10 group, with increased collagen also in T20 and T50 groups. Growth factor expression levels were notably higher in the T10, T20, and T50 groups. In Picro Sirius Red-stained sections, enhanced collagen maturation was observed in T10, T20, and T50 groups, while higher doses led to irregular and immature collagen deposition.

Conclusion

The study confirmed the in vivo and in vitro efficacy of the T + HA + Ch wound dressing material, identifying the optimal wound healing dose of T as 10–50 µg based on histopathological and genetic analyses.

Taner, R., Asci, H., Ugur, S.S. et al. Tarantula Cubensis Venom Theranekron-Embedded Hyaluronic Acid and Chitosan-Based Wound Dress Enhances Wound Healing by Ameliorating Histopathological Appearance and Enhancing Growth Factors in Low Doses: In Vitro and In Vivo Study. Aesth Plast Surg (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-025-05268-y