Venom composition of the Iberian adder (Vipera seoanei) from northern Portugal reveals limited sex and size variation

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  Venom composition of the Iberian adder (Vipera seoanei) from northern Portugal reveals limited sex and size variation Abstract Snake venom is a complex and dynamic ecological trait, with high potential for intraspecific variation. In this study, the venom composition of the Iberian adder ( Vipera seoanei ) from the Peneda Mountains of northern Portugal was investigated to explore whether venom varies with body size and sex. Venom proteomes from six individuals representing juvenile, subadult, and adult males and females were characterised using LC–MS/MS, while individual variation was assessed from SDS–PAGE profiles of 18 snakes. LC–MS/MS identified 144 proteins, dominated by phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 ), snake venom serine proteases (svSP), and C-type lectin-related proteins (CTL). Descriptive comparisons revealed contrasting individual profiles, particularly between the juvenile male, characterised by high svSP and svMP abundance, and the juvenile female, characterised by high ...

A new species and new records of the spider genus Dubiaranea (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from southern Brazil and Uruguay, with an analysis of the potential distribution of the species

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A new species and new records of the spider genus Dubiaranea (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from southern Brazil and Uruguay, with an analysis of the potential distribution of the species

Abstract

Dubiaranea magatama Cajade, Hagopián & Rodrigues n. sp. is described from Uruguay, and southern Brazil based on males and females from several types of native forests, and a potential distribution for this species is modeled. The predicted model for this species indicates a Pampean province and southern Atlantic Forest biome distribution. Three variables contributed significantly to the model with positive influence: the spatial component, the proximity to large rivers, and the tree cover. Also, we provide new records of Dubiaranea difficilis (Mello-Leitão 1944) for Uruguay and a model of its potential distribution was performed. It showed that tree cover, the proximity to large rivers, the spatial component and precipitation/evapotranspiration constraints were recovered for the model with positive influence, expanding the potential distribution area previously proposed.

Cajade, M., Hagopián, D., Rodrigues, E. N. L., Guerrero, J. C., Laborda, Á. & Simó, M. (2024). A new species and new records of the spider genus Dubiaranea (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from southern Brazil and Uruguay, with an analysis of the potential distribution of the species. Zootaxa 5437(2): 223-224. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5437.2.3