Multidimensional toxicity of snake venom causes multi-organ damage and treatment challenges: a narrative review

Posted by
  Multidimensional toxicity of snake venom causes multi-organ damage and treatment challenges: a narrative review Abstract Snakebite envenomation has become a global public health challenge due to the widespread distribution of venomous snakes. Snake venom, a complex mixture containing various bioactive components, exhibits distinct characteristics across different families. The core toxic components of snake venom are mainly Three-Finger Toxins (3FTxs), phospholipase A2(PLA2), and proteases, which together form the material basis of the venom’s multidimensional toxicity. Through synergistic effects, they activate common pathological pathways, enabling targeted disruption of multiple human organs., leading to acute injury and even multi-organ failure. Beyond the acute effects, some survivors may experience long-term sequelae such as chronic kidney disease or permanent musculoskeletal damage. Existing research suggests that snake venom may have modulatory effects on the immune syste...

Egg-Carrying and Cheliceral Comb in Ibaloniinae Harvestmen From the Solomon Islands (Opiliones: Podoctidae)

Posted by

 


Egg-Carrying and Cheliceral Comb in Ibaloniinae Harvestmen From the Solomon Islands (Opiliones: Podoctidae)

ABSTRACT

Four new species of Ibaloniinae harvestmen are described from the Solomon Islands, Melanesia. Based on the original diagnosis of Euibalonius Roewer, 1915, and description of E. maculatus (Roewer, 1915), this material appeared related to that genus. However, examination of syntype photographs of the type species E. maculatus confirmed the validity of Euibalonius, here revalidated from the synonymy of Ibalonius Karsch, 1880, while simultaneously revealing that the Solomon Islands specimens differ substantially from E. maculatus and cannot be accommodated in that genus. The new genus Kakamora gen. nov. is therefore described for the Solomon Islands material. A revised diagnosis of Euibalonius is provided, and a key to the known species of the genus Kakamora is presented. All newly described species bear a cheliceral comb, a structure only recently documented in Podoctidae, and which we also record here for two additional Ibaloniinae species, suggesting broader occurrence within the subfamily. In one of the new species, males were found carrying eggs firmly attached to their femora and tibiae, a behaviour here interpreted as paternal care. This represents a further case of egg carrying by male podoctids, offering a counterpoint to previous doubts about the meaning of this behaviour in the family.

Kury, A. B., Machado, G., Buzatto, B. A., Kekeubata, E., & Medrano, M. (2026). Egg-Carrying and Cheliceral Comb in Ibaloniinae Harvestmen From the Solomon Islands (Opiliones: Podoctidae). Austral Entomology, 65(3), e70075. https://doi.org/10.1111/aen.70075