Evidence of venom variability associated with venom extraction interval in the monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia)

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  Evidence of venom variability associated with venom extraction interval in the monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia) Abstract Snake venom variability is a critical factor in antivenom production. Although several influencing factors have been studied, the impact of extraction interval on venom properties remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of various extraction intervals on venom yield, the percentage of dry weight (%Dw), and composition in the monocled cobra ( Naja kaouthia ). Twenty-five captive snakes were randomly allocated to five groups, each undergoing a control extraction followed by a repeated extraction at 1, 4, 7, 10, or 14 days. Venom profiles were characterized using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results indicated that while fresh venom yield remained stable across all intervals, %Dw significantly decreased in extractions performed between 1 and 10 days, ...

Three new species of the open-holed trapdoor spider genus Proshermacha (Mygalomorphae: Anamidae) from southwest Western Australia

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Three new species of the open-holed trapdoor spider genus Proshermacha (Mygalomorphae: Anamidae) from southwest Western Australia

Abstract

The Australian endemic open-holed trapdoor spider genus Proshermacha Simon, 1908 currently contains 13 described species distributed throughout southern Australia. We describe three new species from the Southwest Australia biodiversity hotspot: Proshermacha katana sp. nov. and Proshermacha rapier sp. nov. from the Esperance Plains bioregion, and Proshermacha scimitar sp. nov. from the Esperance Plains and Jarrah Forest bioregions. We further conduct a multilocus molecular analysis to reveal the phylogenetic placement of two of these newly-described species.

Sagastume-Espinoza KO, Wilson JD & Harvey MS (2025). Three new species of the open-holed trapdoor spider genus Proshermacha (Mygalomorphae: Anamidae) from southwest Western Australia. Australian Journal of Taxonomy 104: 1–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.54102/ajt.jgkav