Qualitative and Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Venoms from Mexican Rattlesnakes

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  Qualitative and Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Venoms from Mexican Rattlesnakes Abstract Despite the vast biodiversity of Mexican vipers, venom of endemic species has been barely studied. Here we analyzed the venom composition of three endemic species of rattlesnakes: Crotalus aquilus , C. triseriatus , and C. ravus . We used quantitative chromato-mass-spectrometry and compared venoms with C. molossus , a species commonly found in North America, in a comparative and phylogenetic framework. In total, we identified 165 proteins grouped in 19 main protein families, consistent with previous reports for viperid venoms. In C. aquilus and C. triseriatus , the most predominant protein-family type was Serine Proteases, and in C. triseriatus and C. molossus it was Snake Venom Metalloproteases. The Label-free quantification revealed a high proportion of Snake Venom Metalloproteases in C. aquilus , C. triseriatus , and C. molossus , reaching 28–47% of the total venom. In contrast, in ...

Egg-sac-brooding wolf spiders show flexible hatchling emergence and context-dependent escape performance

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Egg-sac-brooding wolf spiders show flexible hatchling emergence and context-dependent escape performance

Egg-sac brooding is a costly maternal strategy for which evolutionary persistence hinges on clear offspring benefits and effective maternal tactics to offset those costs. Using the wolf spider Pardosa pusiola, we examined (1) whether hatchling emergence depends on the presence of a conspecific mother, (2) whether egg sac opening is a flexible response to embryonic cues, and (3) how mothers modulate locomotor performance under different ecological risks (sun exposure, flooding, predation). Conspecific foster mothers matched biological mothers in synchronizing egg-sac opening with embryonic development, whereas interspecific foster mothers (Pardosa astrigera) mistimed opening in most cases. Motherless egg sacs contained fully developed but un-emerged hatchlings, confirming that maternal presence is indispensable for emergence, not for hatching itself. Under moderate sun exposure, egg-sac-carrying females escaped slower than non-carrying females. Under high sun exposure or predator stimulus, carrying females escaped as fast as or faster than non-carrying females. Under simulated flooding, carrying females suffered higher mortality, yet survivors showed no difference in escape speed compared to non-carrying females. These results demonstrate flexible egg-sac management coupled with adaptive maternal locomotion, illustrating how costly parental care can be maintained when parents adjust their behavior according to environmental risk.

Bai-Lu Chen, Jing-Xin Liu, Zhanqi Chen; Egg-sac-brooding wolf spiders show flexible hatchling emergence and context-dependent escape performance. Biol Open 15 November 2025; 14 (11): bio062232. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.062232