An Overlooked Species of Enigmatic Wolf Spider (Araneae: Lycosidae) Clarifies the Mysterious Distribution of its Sibling

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  An Overlooked Species of Enigmatic Wolf Spider (Araneae: Lycosidae) Clarifies the Mysterious Distribution of its Sibling Abstract Several wolf spiders exhibit a peculiar geographical distribution. One good example of this is Pardosa aenigmatica Tongiorgi, 1966, recently recognized in Italy and the Middle East but missing in the Balkans. A comparison of populations from the disjunctive areas revealed that they would be better described as two distinct species. As a result, here we describe Pardosa sepidehae sp. nov. The paper includes detailed descriptions and comparative illustrations of male and female copulatory organs for the newly discovered species and P. aenigmatica. Pardosa sepidehae sp. nov. is distributed in the Middle East, whereas P. aenigmatica remains endemic to the Apennine Peninsula. Adile Akpinar, Petr Dolejš "An Overlooked Species of Enigmatic Wolf Spider (Araneae: Lycosidae) Clarifies the Mysterious Distribution of its Sibling," Annales Zoologici, 76(29), ...

Scorpio fuscus venom as a promising anticancer agent against colorectal cancer

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Scorpio fuscus venom as a promising anticancer agent against colorectal cancer

Summary

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for novel and effective therapeutic agents. Conventional treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, are often associated with significant adverse effects, prompting the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer effects of Scorpio fuscus venom (SFV) on human colorectal cancer models using integrated in vitro and in vivo approaches. SFV constituents were characterized using gel electrophoresis, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography and UV–visible spectrometry. Identified peptides were subjected to structural modeling and in silico docking analyses against selected proteins associated with colorectal cancer and apoptosis-related pathways. The cytotoxic effects of SFV were assessed in human CRC cell lines (DLD-1, HT-29, and CaCo-2) and a healthy colon epithelial cell line (CCD-18Co) using Alamar Blue assays after 48-h treatment, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values were determined. SFV treatment resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in cancer cell viability, accompanied by decreased migratory capacity and colony formation ability. Apoptotic responses were further evaluated by flow cytometry and gene expression analyses, indicating modulation of apoptosis-associated genes. For in vivo validation, subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft colon cancer models were established in mice. SFV administration led to reduced tumor growth compared with control groups. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed altered expression patterns of selected tumor-related markers in SFV-treated tumors. Gene expression profiling demonstrated ≥ twofold changes in 51 genes, including downregulation of BAK1 and TRAF3, and upregulation of BIRC2, BIRC3, BIRC6, CASP8, TNFRSF8, TNFRSF11, and BOK. Collectively, these findings indicate that SFV exerts significant antitumor effects in colorectal cancer models and support its potential as a promising anticancer agent, warranting further mechanistic and translational investigation.

Karakurt, S., Gokcek-Sarac, C., Kandir, S. et al. Scorpio fuscus venom as a promising anticancer agent against colorectal cancer. Invest New Drugs (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10637-026-01598-z