A new species of Strotarchus Simon, 1888 from Mexico and description of the male of the type species S. nebulosus Simon, 1888 (Araneae: Cheiracanthiidae)

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  A new species of Strotarchus Simon, 1888 from Mexico and description of the male of the type species S. nebulosus Simon, 1888 (Araneae: Cheiracanthiidae) Abstract A new sac spider of the genus Strotarchus Simon, 1888, S. adrianae spec. nov., is described based on specimens of both sexes collected from Jalisco, Mexico. In addition, the previously unknown male of Strotarchus nebulosus Simon, 1888 is described for the first time. Orozco-Gil, M., Jiménez, M.-L. & Chamé-Vázquez, D. (2026) A new species of Strotarchus Simon, 1888 from Mexico and description of the male of the type species S. nebulosus Simon, 1888 (Araneae: Cheiracanthiidae). Zootaxa, 5821 (2), 263–273. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5821.2.7

A Proposed Unified, Scalable Platform for Integrative Research on Venomous Species

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A Proposed Unified, Scalable Platform for Integrative Research on Venomous Species

Abstract

Venomous animal research is hampered by fragmented, specialized, and non-interoperable databases (isolated genomic, proteomic, and ecological data). Despite the immense promise of venomous organisms to yield novel bioactive compounds for pharmacological and evolutionary applications, the informatics landscape for such taxa has remained patchy, lacking macro-scale integration across species. We present VenomsBase, an integrated, modular resource that synthesizes multi-omics data, ecological metadata, and functional annotations for venom-bearing organisms. Following the FAIR guidelines, VenomsBase combines an ontology-driven architecture with big-data cloud workflows for sequence integration, motif clustering, 3D display, and linking ecological metadata. Standardized tools and training modules facilitate worldwide access to resources for both researchers in developed countries and in resource-limited areas. Its plug-and-play design allows for integration of additional analytical modules and extension to other species. One can also examine evolutionary trends and connect venom chemistry to ecological niches. VenomsBase would (i) accelerate the pace of venom discovery, whether for therapeutic purposes or evolutionary significance, by providing validated, cross-referenced data sets and community-driven curation, and (ii) foster an open, just, and innovation-ready venom research ecosystem.


Shaadi Mehr, Todd Castoe, Marymegan Daly, Florence Jungo, Kim N Kirchhoff, Ivan Koludarov, Stephen P Mackessy, Jason Macrander, Praveena Naidu, Maria Vittoria Modica, Elda E Sanchez, Giulia Zancolli, Mandë Holford, A Proposed Unified, Scalable Platform for Integrative Research on Venomous Species, GigaScience, 2026; giaf153, https://academic.oup.com/gigascience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/gigascience/giaf153/8450176