Distributional Notes on Three Wolf Spider Species (Araneae: Lycosidae) Recorded for the First Time in Diyala Province, Iraq

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  Distributional Notes on Three Wolf Spider Species (Araneae: Lycosidae) Recorded for the First Time in Diyala Province, Iraq Abstract This study presents new distributional data for three wolf spider species (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Diyala Province in eastern Iraq. Specimens were gathered from different districts and habitats between July 2025 and June 2026. The species Arctosa tbilisiensis Mcheidze, 1946, Lycosa piochardi Simon, 1876, and Wadicosa fidelis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) are recorded for the first time in Diyala, extending their known ranges within Iraq. The paper describes key diagnostic morphological features and includes information about the examined specimens and their local distributions. These findings improve knowledge of the distribution of Iraqi Lycosidae and reveal that Diyala Province, despite its habitat variety, remains insufficiently studied. The records serve as a valuable baseline for future taxonomic, faunistic, and ecological research on spiders i...

Comparative venomics reveals intra, interspecific and ontogenetic changes in the venom composition of Lachesis snakes from Colombia

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By Christopher Murray - en:Image:Lachesis muta muta.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1120263

Comparative venomics reveals intra, interspecific and ontogenetic changes in the venom composition of Lachesis snakes from Colombia

Author summary

Snakebite envenomation represents a critical public health concern on a global scale, with tropical regions being particularly affected. However, the venoms of Lachesis snakes in Colombia remain a subject of limited scientific understanding. Although Lachesis bites are not commonly reported in the country, when they do occur, they frequently result in severe symptoms and high mortality rates. We applied detailed protein analysis methods to venom samples from fourteen juvenile and adult specimens collected across multiple regions of Colombia. Differences in the relative abundance of several venom components were found. Juveniles of Lachesis acrochorda exhibited higher levels of enzymes that break down blood proteins, while Lachesis muta venom was dominated by enzymes that promote clot formation. Furthermore, male and female venoms differed in the concentration of low molecular weight compounds. These variations could explain the range of clinical symptoms observed after envenomation, the potential impact of the effectiveness of existing antivenoms, and a deeper understanding of Lachesis venom diversity.

Franco-Vásquez AM, Lazcano-Pérez F, Carbajal-Saucedo A, Mejía-Sánchez MA, Meléndez-Martínez D, Corzo G, et al. (2026) Comparative venomics reveals intra, interspecific and ontogenetic changes in the venom composition of Lachesis snakes from Colombia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 20(2): e0014021. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0014021