Transcriptomic Insights Into the Evolution of Snake Venom: Mechanisms, Diversity, and Adaptation

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  Transcriptomic Insights Into the Evolution of Snake Venom: Mechanisms, Diversity, and Adaptation Abstract Snake venoms are evolutionarily refined biochemical arsenals composed of diverse toxins with complex functional roles in predation, defense, and competition. Over the past 2 decades, transcriptomic approaches have transformed venom research by enabling high-resolution insights into gene expression dynamics, molecular diversity, and the evolutionary mechanisms driving venom variation across lineages. In this review, we present a comprehensive synthesis of snake venom transcriptomics literature and propose a conceptual framework structured around three major axes: (1) gene family expansion through duplication and neofunctionalization; (2) regulatory complexity encompassing transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic modulation; and (3) ecological selection pressures shaping venom profiles in response to diet, habitat, and interspecific interactions. We integrate findin...

Revealing new species within a species complex of Nemesia Audouin, 1826 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae) trapdoor spiders from Andalusia (Spain)

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Revealing new species within a species complex of  Nemesia  Audouin, 1826 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae) trapdoor spiders from Andalusia (Spain)

Four new species of the Nemesia dorthesi group , morphologically similar to Nemesia shenlongi Pertegal, García, Molero-Baltanás & Knapp, 2022, from Andalusia (Spain), are described on the basis of various aspects such as morphology, burrow architecture, behavior and habitus: Nemesia eira n. sp. from the province of Cadiz, N. gajui n. sp. from the municipality of Cordoba, N. socohina n. sp. from Guadalcázar, Cordoba, and N. ripolli n. sp. from Cártama, Málaga. In addition to traditional diagnostic characteristics, this study analyzes the dispersal capacity, distribution, and taxonomic status of the nominate species N. ariasi Simon, 1914 from Morocco and N. macrocephala occidentalis Frade & Bacelar, 1931 from Guadalajara and Valencia, Spain.