Spider venom peptides Ht1a and Gg1a are toxic to honeybee parasite Varroa destructor by topical application

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  Spider venom peptides Ht1a and Gg1a are toxic to honeybee parasite Varroa destructor by topical application Abstract Global food supply strongly depends on honeybee pollination services, which are threatened by insecticides and pests such as parasitic Varroa destructor mites. Chemical varroacides/acaricides are hampered by resistance development, necessitating the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives, with arthropod venom peptides being considered promising sources of acaricidal toxins. With only a few acaricidal venom peptides being reported, we performed a systematic topical screening of 50 arthropod venoms against V. destructor , with 78% of the venoms causing 100% mortality after 24 h. Deconvolution of the venoms from the Tasmanian cave spider Hickmania troglodytes and the Giant Japanese funnel-web spider Gigathele gigas led to identification of the varroacidal peptides Ht1a and Gg1a. Topical application of Ht1a and Gg1a reduced varroa mite ...

The genus Harpactea Bristowe, 1939 (Araneae, Dysderidae) from the Jijel region (Algeria), with the description of a new species

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The genus Harpactea Bristowe, 1939 (Araneae, Dysderidae) from the Jijel region (Algeria), with the description of a new species

Abstract

Harpactea jijelensis sp. nov. (♂♀) is described from Jijel, north-east Algeria. The new species is assigned to the corticalis species group and the auriga subgroup, based on the distinctive characteristics of the male. A detailed description, along with diagnostic characters, and illustrations of the genitalia for both sexes are provided. Additionally, information on the species’ abundance, and distribution across various habitats in the region is presented. New distribution records for Harpactea acuta Beladjal & Bosmans 1997 and Harpactea innupta Beladjal & Bosmans 1997 are presented.

Kahlessenane, S., Bouseksou, S., Kherbouche-Abrous, O., Moulaï, R., Bosmans, R. & Beladjal, L. (2025) The genus Harpactea Bristowe, 1939 (Araneae, Dysderidae) from the Jijel region (Algeria), with the description of a new species. Zootaxa, 5719 (3), 440–450. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5719.3.10