Venomics of the six-eyed sand spider, Sicarius rugosus (Araneae: Sicariidae), from the neotropical dry forest of Costa Rica

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  Venomics of the six-eyed sand spider, Sicarius rugosus (Araneae: Sicariidae), from the neotropical dry forest of Costa Rica Abstract Background Sicarius rugosus , the only member of the genus that inhabits Central America, is phylogenetically related to South American  Sicarius  spiders. These originated from a common ancestor with sister African species. Like  Loxosceles ,  Sicarius  exhibits venom phospholipase D activity due to a group of toxins known collectively as SicTox. Methods A gel-assisted, bottom-up, proteomic analysis was performed to characterize the venom composition of  S. rugosus . Hyaluronidase activity was determined using zymography. Results We identified several SicTox sequences, all classified as β-clade paralogs and sharing unique peptides with proteins from  S. patagonicus ,  S. peruensis,  and other species. Enzymes such as metalloproteinases, including putative astacins, carboxypeptidases, and angiotensin-conv...

Under pressure: mapping the distribution of medically important Tityus Koch, 1836 (Buthidae) scorpions in Brazil using a century of Instituto Butantan records

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Under pressure: mapping the distribution of medically important Tityus Koch, 1836 (Buthidae) scorpions in Brazil using a century of Instituto Butantan records

Abstract

The buthid scorpions Tityus serrulatus, T. bahiensis, T. obscurus, and T. stigmurus are considered the most medically significant species in Brazil. Since the early 1900s, their identification and distribution have been central to the zoological collections of the Instituto Butantan (IBSP). In this study, we map the distribution of these species using 7241 presence-only records from the IBSP collected since 1905. Species richness and record density were analyzed using 2° grid cells, and spatial overlap was assessed via a Jaccard similarity index. Based on our dataset of species records, Tityus serrulatus showed the broadest distribution, present in nearly all Brazilian states except Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, Amapá, and Roraima, with the highest densities in São Paulo and northern Paraná. Tityus bahiensis had the second widest range, with dense occurrences largely restricted to São Paulo. Mesoregions in São Paulo (Macrometropolitana Paulista, Metropolitana de São Paulo) and Paraná (Noroeste, Norte-Central) have the highest probability of encountering medically significant Tityus species, considering the density of records obtained from the IBSP collection. Also, we emphasize the importance of implementing long-term monitoring programs and conducting new species surveys, especially in high-risk areas and current species distribution gaps.
Goldoni, P. A., Brescovit, A. D., Castro-Souza, R. A., Cequinel, J., Marques-da-Silva, E., & Iniesta, L. F. (2025). Under pressure: Mapping the distribution of medically important Tityus Koch, 1836 (Buthidae) scorpions in Brazil using a century of Instituto Butantan records. Toxicon, 268, 108627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108627