The chromosome-level genome of Mesobuthus martensii provides insights into its evolution and the diversity of venom peptides

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  The chromosome-level genome of Mesobuthus martensii provides insights into its evolution and the diversity of venom peptides Abstract Mesobuthus martensii , the source species of the traditional Chinese medicine “Quanxie”, has long been utilized for its therapeutic properties. Venom peptides are recognized as the major active molecular basis of these pharmacological activities. Despite this, their development as therapeutic agents remains poorly explored. In this study, we performed an integrated multi-omics investigation to systematically explore the venom peptides of Mesobuthus martensii . We generated a chromosome-level genome assembly of Mesobuthus martensii using third-generation sequencing technologies, yielding a genome size of 1.08 Gb with a contig N50 of 46.46 Mb. Integrated genomic and transcriptomic analyses led to the identification of 51 putative novel venom peptide candidates. From the broader venom peptide set, five lysine- and arginine-rich candidates were select...

Assessing the current and future distribution of Androctonus mauritanicus in Morocco under climate change using MaxEnt with environmental variables

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Assessing the current and future distribution of Androctonus mauritanicus in Morocco under climate change using MaxEnt with environmental variables

Abstract

Androctonus mauritanicus is among the most dangerous endemic scorpions in Morocco and poses a major public health concern due to its highly toxic venom and anthropophilic nature. This study assesses the current and future distribution of Androctonus mauritanicus under climate change to guide risk management strategies. The current and future distributions of A. mauritanicus were modeled using the MaxEnt algorithm based on occurrence data and environmental variables. Future projections were generated using an ensemble of three Global Climate Models (BCC-CSM2-MR, HadGEM3-GC31-LL, and MIROC6) under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585). Model calibration was performed using ENMeval with spatial block cross-validation. The optimal model (LQH, RM = 2) showed high predictive performance, with a training AUC of 0.943, a validation AUC of 0.828 ± 0.182, a mean five-fold AUC of 0.923 ± 0.017, and a mean TSS of 0.689 ± 0.087. The current distribution revealed a concentration of suitable habitats in northern and central Morocco, whereas most southern, south-eastern, and eastern regions were classified as unsuitable. Analysis of environmental variables identified soil moisture and climatic variables (BIO03, BIO02, and BIO08) as the main factors shaping species distribution. Future projections suggested an expansion of suitable habitats under all climate change scenarios. Change detection analysis revealed positive net habitat gains ranging from 26.99% to 33.81%, with expansion areas consistently exceeding contraction areas. These results identify areas environmentally suitable for A. mauritanicus and demonstrate the value of species distribution models for surveillance and prevention planning.
Namiq, S., Namous, M., El Mourid, A., Bouimeja, B., & Touloun, O. (2026). Assessing the current and future distribution of Androctonus mauritanicus in Morocco under climate change using MaxEnt with environmental variables. Toxicon, 281, 109212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2026.109212