Beyond Venom and Constriction: Bite Performance and Trophic Ecology in the Genus Drymarchon

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  Beyond Venom and Constriction: Bite Performance and Trophic Ecology in the Genus Drymarchon Abstract Snakes exhibit extreme cranial kinesis that facilitates ingestion of prey with large cross-sectional area, but this ability is widely predicted to reduce bite performance due to decreased structural rigidity. Consequently, most large-bodied snakes rely on envenomation or constriction to subdue prey prior to ingestion. Species within the genus Drymarchon represent a notable exception: these large, non-venomous, non-constricting snakes routinely consume a wide range of prey, including large and potentially dangerous vertebrates, using only simple seizing and pinioning behaviors. Here, we quantify bite performance in three species of Drymarchon ( D. corais, D. couperi, and D. melanurus ), examine morphological predictors of biting performance, compare biting pressure to constriction pressure in similarly sized snakes, and synthesize dietary records across the genus. Our results sh...

Integrative taxonomy of the genus Nesticus in central Japan, with the description of a new species and redescriptions of N. echigonus and N. gondai (Araneae, Nesticidae)

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Integrative taxonomy of the genus Nesticus in central Japan, with the description of a new species and redescriptions of N. echigonus and N. gondai (Araneae, Nesticidae)

Abstract

Species of the genus Nesticus (Araneae, Nesticidae) in central Japan are revised based on morphological and molecular analyses of specimens collected from Niigata and Gunma Prefectures. Among them, a putative undescribed species was discovered having clearly distinguishable morphological characters from other known species in the same area. A phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial COI gene was carried out using a maximum-likelihood method to confirm its distinctiveness. The new species, Nesticus yamabushi sp. nov., is described based on specimens of both sexes. Furthermore, we provide detailed redescriptions of two other closely related species, N. echigonus and N. gondai, to address the lack of information in their original descriptions and facilitate future identifications. This study enhances our understanding of the fauna and diversity of the genus Nesticus in central Japan and provides a foundation for future taxonomic research.

Nagai T, Ballarin F, Eguchi K (2026) Integrative taxonomy of the genus Nesticus in central Japan, with the description of a new species and redescriptions of N. echigonus and N. gondai (Araneae, Nesticidae). ZooKeys 1285: 125-145. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1285.202554