First record of Thaumasia Perty, 1833 nursery web spider (Araneae: Pisauridae) preying upon Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in the Neotropical region

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  First record of Thaumasia Perty, 1833 nursery web spider (Araneae: Pisauridae) preying upon Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in the Neotropical region Abstract Thaumasia Perty, 1833 are opportunistic spiders that inhabit the Neotropical region. This study reports a spider of the genus Thaumasia preying upon Polistes canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) in semiarid region of Brazil. A spider of the genus Thaumasia was observed moving rapidly from the fountain's water surface to capture an individual of P. canadensis . After successfully capturing the wasp, Thaumasia sp. was observed partially perched on the wall of the fountain, with the prey still on the water surface and trapped by its chelicerae. The pedipalps and chelicerae of Thaumasia sp. manipulated the head of P. canadensis , which stopped moving shortly after being captured, probably because of the action of the spider's venom. The study records a wasp in the diet of Thaumasia based on the ca...

Indian lone commercial antivenom against Indian red scorpion venom demonstrates limited immunorecognition and partial neutralisation of enzymatic, pharmacological, and some toxic effects of Heterometrus bengalensis (Indian black scorpion) venom proteins in vitro and in vivo

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Indian lone commercial antivenom against Indian red scorpion venom demonstrates limited immunorecognition and partial neutralisation of enzymatic, pharmacological, and some toxic effects of Heterometrus bengalensis (Indian black scorpion) venom proteins in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Scorpion envenomation remains a significant yet under-addressed public health issue in India. Heterometrus bengalensis (HB), a medically important scorpion, can induce clinically relevant local and systemic toxicity. However, limited research has evaluated the immunological recognition and neutralisation efficacy of existing commercial anti-scorpion antivenoms (ASV) against HB venom (HBV). This study evaluated the immunological cross-reactivity and neutralisation potential of a commercial ASV against HBV using in vitro and in vivo approaches. Immunochemical assays (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting) demonstrated partial immunoreactivity toward HBV proteins in the range of ~75–37 kDa, but exhibited poor recognition of low-molecular-mass proteins (<20 kDa). ASV showed feeble neutralisation of HBV enzymatic activities, HBV toxicity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in Caenorhabditis elegans. ASV also showed poor protective efficacy against HBV-induced local and systemic toxicity in Swiss albino mice. ASV also failed to attenuate the HBV-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) in mice. Therefore, this study highlights insufficient immunological coverage and underscores the need for species-specific antivenoms. The findings provide crucial insights for enhancing therapeutic interventions for scorpion envenomation in India.
Nath, S., & Mukherjee, A. K. (2026). Indian lone commercial antivenom against Indian red scorpion venom demonstrates limited immunorecognition and partial neutralisation of enzymatic, pharmacological, and some toxic effects of Heterometrus bengalensis (Indian black scorpion) venom proteins in vitro and in vivo. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 151679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151679