New insights into maternal care and juvenile dispersal in Pterinopelma roseum (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

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  New insights into maternal care and juvenile dispersal in Pterinopelma roseum (Araneae: Theraphosidae) Abstract Tarantulas (Theraphosidae) exhibit a wide diversity of reproductive behaviors, yet many aspects of their natural history, particularly those related to maternal care and juvenile dispersal, remain poorly known. Pterinopelma roseum is a species distributed in southern Brazil and northeastern Argentina for which information on reproductive biology is limited. The aim of this study was to document maternal care, egg sac composition, and juvenile dispersal through the monitoring of a female collected together with its egg sac in Misiones Province, Argentina. The female was maintained under controlled laboratory conditions and observed daily until juvenile dispersal. During the incubation period, the female actively protected the egg sac, remaining in contact with it most of the time and displaying defensive behaviors when disturbed, while continuing to feed regularly. The e...

Venom variation and the future of antivenom design: integrating population venomics, evolutionary toxinology, and precision therapeutics

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Venom variation and the future of antivenom design: integrating population venomics, evolutionary toxinology, and precision therapeutics

Abstract

Snakebite envenoming remains a neglected tropical disease that disproportionately affects rural populations in the tropical regions, where access to timely and effective treatment is often limited. Conventional antivenoms, produced by immunizing animals with pooled venoms, have demonstrated clinical benefit but may show variable performance against the complex and geographically heterogeneous composition of snake venoms. Advances in proteomics, transcriptomics, and genomics have revealed substantial intra- and interspecies venom variation with potential implications for antivenom design and evaluation. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the molecular, ecological, and evolutionary drivers of venom diversity and discusses how these insights may inform the development of more regionally informed and evidence-based therapeutic strategies. Particular attention is given to toxin-resolved antivenomics, monoclonal antibody research, recombinant platforms, and emerging computational tools for antigen prioritization. The potential role of rapid diagnostics and immunoinformatics in supporting clinical decision-making is also considered. Overall, the review highlights how population-level venom data and translational research may contribute to incremental improvements in antivenom design, while acknowledging the regulatory, economic, and implementation challenges involved.
Dingwoke, E. J. (2026). Venom variation and the future of antivenom design: Integrating population venomics, evolutionary toxinology, and precision therapeutics. Toxicon: X, 100246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxcx.2026.100246