Passive transponder implantation in Theraphosidae: A tool for traceability and conservation

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  Passive transponder implantation in Theraphosidae: A tool for traceability and conservation Abstract Illegal wildlife trade represents a major global threat to biodiversity, with tarantulas among the most heavily trafficked invertebrate groups due to increasing demand in the international pet market, highlighting the urgent need for effective regulatory frameworks and reliable specimen-level traceability systems to distinguish legally bred individuals from illegally sourced ones. Individual identification is essential to support legal trade, strengthen enforcement mechanisms and reduce illegal trafficking; therefore, this study evaluated the feasibility and safety of passive integrated transponder microchip (PIT TAG) implantation for individual identification in multiple tarantula species under controlled laboratory conditions. Post-implantation parameters assessed included anaesthesia recovery time, feeding behaviour, ecdysis frequency, PIT TAG retention across successive moults...

Omics Description (Metabolome and Microbiome) from Centuroides suffusus and Centuroides vittatus (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

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By Drini (Pedro Sánchez) - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1912027

Omics Description (Metabolome and Microbiome) from Centuroides suffusus and Centuroides vittatus (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

Abstract

Scorpions are characterized by their venomous adaptations, including specialized stingers, and their ecological diversity. Some families, such as Buthidae, have medically significant species and their venoms possess a diverse array of chemicals. In Mexico, Centruroides suffusus and Centruroides vittatus coexist, with C. suffusus considered medically important due to its highly toxic venom. This study describes the metabolomic and microbiomic profiles of C. suffusus and C. vittatus. The metabolomic profiling (12 amino acids and 28 acylcarnitines) reveals significant differences between the two species, hinting at metabolic and ecological variations. Ornithine (ORN) and arginine (ARG) were the most abundant in C. vittatus, while tyrosine (TYR) was the most abundant amino acid molecule in C. suffusus. The microbiome analysis (by Next-Generation Sequencing of the 16S ribosomal gene) indicates similarities in gut bacteria composition between the two species (Phyla: Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Tenericutes).

Lizbeth, M., Adrián, P., De Luna, M., Elia, L., Moises, C., L., M., E., A., & P., I. (2025). Omics Description (Metabolome and Microbiome) from Centuroides suffusus and Centuroides vittatus (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Arthropoda, 3(4), 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda3040014