Sex Role–Dependent Behavioral and Architectural Divergence in a Jumping Spider

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  Sex Role–Dependent Behavioral and Architectural Divergence in a Jumping Spider ABSTRACT Sex differences in behavior and functional traits are often attributed to differences in mating effort intensity, but the role of sex-specific parental demands remains poorly understood. Using the jumping spider Toxeus maxillosus —where males engage in mate searching and courtship without providing parental care, while females provide extended maternal care from egg attendance to offspring maturity (around 3 months)—we conducted an exploratory investigation into whether these distinct selective pressures led to divergence in spatial behaviors and nest architecture. Results revealed that males and females showed equivalent accuracy, latency, and learning-related performance in both a route-planning test under water stress and a color-pattern associative memory task. In contrast, during nest-construction assays, females built complex, multi-entrance structures that closely matched the container'...

Antivenoms, recombinant antibodies, inhibitors, and the future of snakebite envenoming therapy

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Antivenoms, recombinant antibodies, inhibitors, and the future of snakebite envenoming therapy

Abstract

Encouraging developments are taking place in the field of the therapy of snakebite envenoming (SBE), including innovations in animal-derived antivenoms and novel possibilities in the discovery of recombinant antivenom antibodies and new inhibitors of venom toxins. This narrative review presents an overview of these developments and highlights the challenges faced to improve current antivenom therapies and to move the new therapeutics from the development stage to preclinical and clinical testing, manufacture and distribution. The future of the management of SBE is likely to involve a combination of these three types of therapeutics depending on the different contexts. Likewise, innovative mechanisms should be implemented to guarantee that they will be available and accessible to countries of high incidence of SBE. The fulfillment of these tasks demands the integration of a diverse set of stakeholders, within a frame of cooperation, including researchers, developers, manufacturers, regulatory agencies, clinicians, funding organizations, non-governmental initiatives, public health authorities, and organized communities.
Gutiérrez, J. M. (2026). Antivenoms, recombinant antibodies, inhibitors, and the future of snakebite envenoming therapy. Toxicon, 271, 108964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108964