Venom Mass Fingerprints for Species Delimitation, Reloaded: A Test Case with Italian Scorpions (Euscorpius)

  Venom Mass Fingerprints for Species Delimitation, Reloaded: A Test Case with Italian Scorpions (Euscorpius) Abstract Scorpion venoms are complex mixtures of bioactive compounds including proteins, peptides and enzymes. Although venoms exhibit substantial intraspecific variation, some compounds appear to be species-specific, highlighting their potential as chemotaxonomic markers. Venom mass fingerprints (MFPs) derived from Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry (MS) have been proposed as a means of delimiting species. However, their utility for species delimitation has rarely been evaluated against independent sources of taxonomic evidence. In the present study, the performance of MALDI-TOF MS-based venom peptide barcoding (mass ranges of m/z 800‒4500 and m/z 3000‒10,000) was assessed in 52 populations of eight Italian species of the scorpion genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876, representing different levels of evolutionary divergenc...

New records of the camel spider Antillotrecha iviei Armas, 2002 from Anguilla, Lesser Antilles (Solifugae: Ammotrechidae)

 


New records of the camel spider Antillotrecha iviei Armas, 2002 from Anguilla, Lesser Antilles (Solifugae: Ammotrechidae)

Abstract
Antillotrecha iviei Armas, 2002, previously thought to be restricted to Sombrero Island, is confirmed to be present on Anguilla Island, based on material of both sexes collected by the senior author in early 2025. Adults of both sexes are described and illustrated, with comparison against previously reported material.

Sherwood, Danniella & De Armas, Luis & Mukhida, Farah & Connor, Rhon. (2025). New records of the camel spider Antillotrecha iviei Armas, 2002 from Anguilla, Lesser Antilles (Solifugae: Ammotrechidae). Revista Ibérica de Aracnología. 47. 139-142.