Yinanyphaena gen. nov., a new ghost spider genus with descriptions of five new species and seven new combinations from China (Araneae, Anyphaenidae)

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  Yinanyphaena gen. nov., a new ghost spider genus with descriptions of five new species and seven new combinations from China (Araneae, Anyphaenidae) Abstract A new genus, Yinanyphaena Wang & Mi, gen. nov ., of the family Anyphaenidae Bertkau, 1878, is proposed based on molecular phylogenetic results and morphological evidence. Five new species collected from the Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, Xizang, China are described: Y. haochuni Wang & Mi, sp. nov . (♂♀), Y. jinhuai Wang & Mi, sp. nov . (♂♀), Y. qomolangma Wang & Mi, sp. nov . (♂♀), Y. shikaii Wang & Mi, sp. nov . (♀), and Y. xufeii Wang & Mi, sp. nov . (♀). In addition, seven new combinations transferred from Anyphaena Sundevall, 1833 are also proposed: Y. cibagou (Wang & Mi, 2024), comb. nov ., Y. linzhi (Wang & Mi, 2024), comb. nov ., Y. rhynchophysa (Feng, Ma & Yang, 2012), comb. nov ., Y. shufui (Wang & Mi, 2024), comb. nov ., Y. tibet (Lin & Li, 202...

First insights into the role of evolutionary history in shaping venom composition of Vipera ammodytes

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First insights into the role of evolutionary history in shaping venom composition of Vipera ammodytes

Abstract

Understanding intraspecific venom variation requires distinguishing the contributions of neutral population history from natural selection. This study aims to determine whether venom variation in the Vipera ammodytes species complex is structured across eight phylogenetic lineages. Despite a complex evolutionary history, venom composition did not differ among phylogenetic units within the analytical framework used, suggesting that shared ancestry alone does not explain venom variation. Whether local adaptation to environmental conditions explains the observed variation remains an open question for future studies.
Lakušić, M., Piccoli, C., Anđelković, M., Andonov, K., Burić, I., Brito, J. C., Dyugmedzhiev, A., Merdan, S., Schmid, L., Tzoras, E., Florian-Hempel, B., & Martínez-Freiría, F. (2026). First insights into the role of evolutionary history in shaping venom composition of Vipera ammodytes. Toxicon, 109256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2026.109256