The neonicotinoid imidacloprid impairs the predatory performance and functional response of the jumping spider Helpis minitabunda (Araneae, Salticidae)

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  The neonicotinoid imidacloprid impairs the predatory performance and functional response of the jumping spider Helpis minitabunda (Araneae, Salticidae) Abstract The neonicotinoid imidacloprid can cause lethal and sublethal effects in non-target organisms, including impaired behavior, reduced fertility, disrupted locomotion, and reduced predatory performance in arthropods. Spiders are among the most abundant arthropod predators in terrestrial ecosystems, including agricultural ecosystems, yet the effects of neonicotinoids on the predatory function of jumping spiders remain poorly understood. The functional response of a predator describes how predation rates change with prey density and is key to understanding predator–prey dynamics. We tested whether acute exposure to a commercial formulation of imidacloprid at field-recommended concentrations alters the functional response of the Aussie bronze jumping spider, Helpis minitabunda (L. Koch, 1880). We compared the predation of treat...

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