Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aleson Aparecido da Silva, Erima Maria de Amorim, Maria Gislaine Pereira, Samuel Lima de Santana, Meykson Alexandre da Silva, Andre Felipe de Araujo Lira, Claudia Rohde
Summary: Invertebrates in polluted habitats are affected negatively. The study focuses on litter-dwelling, sedentary scorpions, specifically Tityus pusillus, which can be used as models to examine the genotoxic effects of chemicals in the soil. Thirty specimens were collected from different sites in Northeast Brazil, with varying degrees of human activity, and a laboratory group. The comet assay was conducted on hemolymph cell samples to measure Damage Index (DI) and Damage Frequency (DF%). The results showed significantly higher genotoxicity in animals from areas with human interference and solid waste, suggesting T. pusillus could be useful for assessing environmental genotoxicity.
MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS
(2023)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Andre O. Silva-Junior, Michael Seiter, Andre F. A. Lira, Wendel J. Teles Pontes
Summary: The study investigated the impact of nutritional stress on the reproductive output of female scorpions, finding that females under nutritional stress had higher offspring mortality, longer gestational periods, and similar litter weights compared to well-fed females. The results also suggest that female T. pusillus adjust their reproductive strategies based on resource availability.
INVERTEBRATE REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Kamila Bento Cavalcanti de Albuquerque, Andre Felipe de Araujo Lira
Summary: Tityus pusillus scorpions are more likely to sting when facing high-intensity threats, with no significant differences observed between male and female defensive behaviors according to threat intensity.
JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jonas Gama Martins, Karla de Castro Figueiredo Bordon, Jairo A. Moreno-Gonzalez, Bruno Rafael Ribeiro de Almeida, Pedro P. O. Pardal, Andre Felipe de Araujo Lira, Denise M. Candido, Eliane Candiani Arantes, Rudi Emerson de Lima Procopio
Summary: Tityus obscurus has caused medical accidents in the Brazilian Amazon and French Guiana. It has sexual dimorphism but uniform black coloration in males and females. Most stings occur in non-flooded forest areas where rural communities are located. People in remote areas use native plants to alleviate pain and vomiting caused by scorpion stings. The lack of knowledge about the natural distribution of these scorpions poses challenges in treating envenomation. The study provides information on the natural history of T. obscurus and proposes experimental approaches for producing efficient antivenom.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cecilia Diaz, Arturo Chang-Castillo, Bruno Lomonte, Fabian Bonilla, Carlos Viquez, Adriana Alfaro-Chinchilla, Felipe Triana, Mahmood Sasa
Summary: This study characterized the venom of Tityus ocelote from Costa Rica, identified some novel venom components, and revealed the complexity of this venom through phylogenetic analysis, showing its relationship with different lineages within the genus Tityus.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PEPTIDE RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jana Stundlova, Frantisek Stahlavsky, Vera Opatova, Jan Stundl, Frantisek Kovarik, Petr Dolejs, Jirf Smid
Summary: The family Buthidae is an early diverging and highly diverse lineage of scorpions, but its internal phylogenetic relationships are not well understood. Through the use of multilocus sequence data and extensive taxon sampling, this study reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships within Buthidae and assessed the validity of morphology-based groupings. The results suggest that some morpho-groups within Buthidae are not monophyletic and that taxonomic revisions may be needed for certain genera.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Toxicology
Alejandra Arroyave-Munoz, Arie van der Meijden, Sebastian Estrada-Gomez, Luis Fernando Garcia
Summary: The study found that T. fuhrmanni is a generalist scorpion species with venom of different potencies to capture different types of prey. It is able to discriminate between prey types and employ different strategies to subdue them.
JOURNAL OF VENOMOUS ANIMALS AND TOXINS INCLUDING TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Cecilia Diaz, Marcela Serna-Gonzalez, Arturo Chang-Castillo, Bruno Lomonte, Fabian Bonilla, Adriana Alfaro-Chinchilla, Felipe Triana, Mahmood Sasa
Summary: The objective of this study was to examine the differences in venom peptide sequences of Tityus species in Costa Rican rainforests compared to T. cf. asthenes from Colombia. The results showed that the venom peptides of dark-colored Tityus in Costa Rica are similar to those found in other T. (Atreus) species from the region. This suggests that the level of toxicity caused by Tityus in Costa Rica should be similar to that caused by members of the same subgenus in other geographical locations. The lack of epidemiological evidence of medical emergencies caused by envenoming by this scorpion group in Costa Rica may be more related to ecological and demographic factors.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andre Felipe de Araujo Lira, Jonathas Correia Correia de Araujo, Welton Dionisio-da-Silva, Cleide Maria Ribeiro de Albuquerque
Summary: The litter-dwelling scorpion Ananteris mauryi has a short developmental period and large litter size, making it an r-strategist species. Females of this species typically produce 9-31 juveniles after a gestation period of 133 +/- 11.7 days following courtship behavior.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Pedro Pereira de Oliveira Pardal, Johne Souza Coelho, Joaquim Martins da Silva, Bruno Rafael Ribeiro Almeida, Hipocrates Menezes Chalkidis, Adolfo Borges, Edna Aoba Yassui Ishikawa, Cristovam Guerreiro Diniz, Guilherme da Cruz Santos-Neto, Mauro Andre Damasceno de Melo
Summary: A study on two populations of Tityus obscurus in the northeastern Amazon region of Brazil revealed that clinical and toxinological variations are associated with underlying differences in genetic diversity between these populations, indicating the need for further research and mapping of haplotypes.
Article
Zoology
Jairo A. Moreno-Gonzalez, Ricardo Pinto-Da-Rocha, Jimmy Cabra-Garcia
Summary: In this study, we conducted a comprehensive phenotypic survey of the Tityus forcipula species group, redescribed Tityus forcipula and described a new species, Tityus moralensis, belonging to the group. The species group was delimited to Andean species from Colombia and Ecuador. Phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences placed the new Tityus species within a phylogenetic context with other buthid species. Finally, an updated distributional map of the Tityus forcipula species group was provided.
Review
Toxicology
Wilson R. Lourenco
Summary: This paper proposes a synopsis on the historical, geographical and ecological aspects related to the most conspicuous scorpion species of the genus Tityus known from Brazil. Tityus serrulatus is well known for its infamous reputation as a noxious species, and also for its ability to reproduce asexually through parthenogenesis. Although considered as clones, a new hypothesis suggests the occurrence of mutations within isolated individuals leading to distinct subpopulations with better phenotypic performances in ecological habitats different from the original distribution of the species.
JOURNAL OF VENOMOUS ANIMALS AND TOXINS INCLUDING TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Pavel Just, Frantisek Stahlavsky, Frantisek Kovarik, Jana Stundlova
Summary: In this study, we used an integrative approach combining cytogenetic data and sequence-based phylogeny to investigate the mechanisms of karyotype differentiation in scorpions of the genus Gint. Our results revealed significant karyotype diversity and chromosome heterozygosity in Gint species. We also found that interspecific differences in chromosome counts corresponded with genetic divergence. Furthermore, the study indicated ongoing structural changes in the genome architecture of some Gint species.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Juan J. Martinez, Maria de los A. Bruni, Andres A. Ojanguren Affilastro
Summary: The important sanitary scorpion species Tityus trivittatus Kraepelin is reported for the first time in General Pico, La Pampa province in Argentina. Specimens were obtained in domiciliary environments, representing a considerable expansion of the species and genus distribution range to the south.
REVISTA DE LA SOCIEDAD ENTOMOLOGICA ARGENTINA
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Jairo A. Moreno-Gonzalez, Ricardo Pinto-da-Rocha, Jonas E. Gallao
Summary: A new cave-dwelling species, Tityus spelaeus, is described in this study based on molecular phylogenetic analysis and survey of overlooked phenotypic characters. The study identifies useful characters such as glandular regions and setae distribution for constructing the taxonomy of Tityus species and species groups. Additionally, the study discusses the phylogenetic relationships within Tityus, the relevance of new phenotypic characters to modern taxonomy, and records of Brazilian cave scorpions.
