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2. Unveiling underestimated species diversity within the Central American Coralsnake, a medically important complex of venomous taxa

Author

Jowers, Michael J., Smart, Utpal, Sánchez-Ramírez, Santiago, Murphy, John C., Gómez, Aarón, Bosque, Renan J., Sarker, Goutam C., Noonan, Brice P., Faria, J. Filipe, Harris, D. James, da Silva, Jr., Nelson Jorge, Prudente, Ana L. C., Weber, John, Kok, Philippe J. R., Rivas, Gilson A., Jadin, Robert C., Sasa, Mahmood, Muñoz-Mérida, Antonio, Moreno-Rueda, Gregorio, and Smith, Eric N.

Published
2023
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3. Sequence Divergence in Venom Genes Within and Between Montane Pitviper (Viperidae: Crotalinae: Cerrophidion) Species is Driven by Mutation–Drift Equilibrium

Author

Rosales-García, Ramses Alejandro, Rautsaw, Rhett M., Hofmann, Erich P., Grünwald, Christoph I., Franz-Chavez, Hector, Ahumada-Carrillo, Ivan T., Ramirez-Chaparro, Ricardo, de la Torre-Loranca, Miguel Angel, Strickland, Jason L., Mason, Andrew J., Holding, Matthew L., Borja, Miguel, Castañeda-Gaytan, Gamaliel, Myers, Edward A., Sasa, Mahmood, Rokyta, Darin R., and Parkinson, Christopher L.

Published
2023
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10. Venomics of Scorpion Ananteris platnicki (Lourenço, 1993), a New World Buthid That Inhabits Costa Rica and Panama.

Author

Díaz, Cecilia, Lomonte, Bruno, Chang-Castillo, Arturo, Bonilla, Fabián, Alfaro-Chinchilla, Adriana, Triana, Felipe, Angulo, Diego, Fernández, Julián, and Sasa, Mahmood

Subjects
TITYUS, HYALURONIDASES, HEMOCYANIN, TOXINS, PROTEINASES, SCORPION venom, VENOM
Abstract

Ananteris is a scorpion genus that inhabits dry and seasonal areas of South and Central America. It is located in a distinctive morpho-group of Buthids, the 'Ananteris group', which also includes species distributed in the Old World. Because of the lack of information on venom composition, the study of Ananteris species could have biological and medical relevance. We conducted a venomics analysis of Ananteris platnicki, a tiny scorpion that inhabits Panama and Costa Rica, which shows the presence of putative toxins targeting ion channels, as well as proteins with similarity to hyaluronidases, proteinases, phospholipases A2, members of the CAP-domain family, and hemocyanins, among others. Venom proteolytic and hyaluronidase activities were corroborated. The determination of the primary sequences carried out by mass spectrometry evidences that several peptides are similar to the toxins present in venoms from Old World scorpion genera such as Mesobuthus, Lychas, and Isometrus, but others present in Tityus and Centruroides toxins. Even when this venom displays the characteristic protein families found in all Buthids, with a predominance of putative Na+-channel toxins and proteinases, some identified partial sequences are not common in venoms of the New World species, suggesting its differentiation into a distinctive group separated from other Buthids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2024
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14. Amphibian diversity across three adjacent ecosystems in Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Author

Edwards, Alex W., primary, Harrison, Xavier A., additional, Smith, M. Alex, additional, Chavarría Díaz, Maria Marta, additional, Sasa, Mahmood, additional, Janzen, Daniel H., additional, Hallwachs, Winnie, additional, Chaves, Gerardo, additional, Fernández, Roberto, additional, Palmer, Caroline, additional, Wilson, Chloe, additional, North, Alexandra, additional, and Puschendorf, Robert, additional

Published
2023
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22. Nuevas aportaciones sobre las esponjas de agua dulce (Porifera: Spongillidae) en aguas temporales de Costa Rica

Author

Rueda, Juan, primary, Gálvez, Ángel, additional, Castillo-Escrivà, Andreu, additional, Bonilla, Fabián, additional, de Manuel, Berenice, additional, Morales, Liliam, additional, Bisquert, Maria, additional, Sasa, Mahmood, additional, Monrós, Juan, additional, Armengol, Xavier, additional, and Mesquita-Joanes, Francesc, additional

Published
2023
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23. Half a century of research on Bothrops asper venom variation: biological and biomedical implications

Author

Calvete, Juan J. [0000-0001-5026-3122], Mora-Obando, Diana, Lomonte, Bruno, Pla, Davinia, Guerrero-Vargas, Jimmy Alexander, Ayerbe-Gonzalez, Santiago, Gutiérrez, José María, Sasa, Mahmood, Calvete, Juan J., Calvete, Juan J. [0000-0001-5026-3122], Mora-Obando, Diana, Lomonte, Bruno, Pla, Davinia, Guerrero-Vargas, Jimmy Alexander, Ayerbe-Gonzalez, Santiago, Gutiérrez, José María, Sasa, Mahmood, and Calvete, Juan J.

Abstract

Snake venoms are a complex biological mixture of proteins with or without enzymatic activity, peptides, and nucleotides, among other components. It is produced in specialized secretory glands located in the maxillary region, being the result of millions of years of evolution and whose biological functions are defense, immobilization, and digestion of prey. Venoms present intraspecific (i.e., individual, ontogenetic, geographical) and interspecific (i.e., between sympatric and allopatric species) variation, and the study of this variability has become the focus of toxinological research. Bothrops asper is responsible for highest incidence, morbimortality and severe cases of envenoming in Mesoamerica and northern South America. Given its clinical importance, its venom has been characterized and compared qualitatively and quantitatively across the species range. More than 50 years of research show that B. asper venom is endowed with an interesting intraspecific variability. Knowing this variation has allowed advances in the elucidation of the biological role of the venom, a better understanding of the clinical signs and symptoms in patients envenomed by B asper, the immunological implications in the context of antivenoms production, and the generation of new ideas that could be useful to solve different biological and evolutionary questions of one of the venomous snakes with the greatest distribution and strongest public health impact in Latin America.

Published
2023

24. Higher alpha and gamma, but not beta diversity in tropical than in Mediterranean temporary ponds: A multi‐taxon spatiotemporal approach.

Author

Gálvez, Ángel, Castillo‐Escrivà, Andreu, Magurran, Anne, Alambiaga, Iván, Bonilla, Fabián, Camacho, Antonio, García‐Roger, Eduardo M., Iepure, Sanda, Miralles‐Lorenzo, Javier, Monrós, Juan S., Olmo, Carla, Picazo, Antonio, Rojo, Carmen, Rueda, Juan, Sasa, Mahmood, Segura, Mati, Armengol, Xavier, and Mesquita‐Joanes, Francesc

Subjects
PONDS, CRONBACH'S alpha, BIOTIC communities
Abstract

The latitudinal diversity gradient predicts that tropical regions should have higher alpha, beta, and gamma diversity than temperate areas. However, only a few studies have assessed the temporal variability of the different components of diversity across climatic regions. In this study, we compare, using a spatial and temporal approach, the diversity of multiple taxa inhabiting tropical and Mediterranean temporary ponds. We sampled the biological communities of each set of ponds on three occasions during the same hydrological year. Under a spatial framework, we analyzed, alpha, beta, and gamma diversities. With a temporal approach, we compared the coefficients of variation in alpha diversity for each local community, and temporal beta diversity. Differences between regions and sampling periods were tested using generalized linear mixed models. We found higher gamma and alpha diversity in the tropical ponds, as expected given the latitudinal differences between them. However, phytoplankton and microinvertebrates from the Mediterranean region, matched or even exceeded tropical alpha diversity on some occasions. Spatial beta diversity did not differ between regions, and it showed lower values at the middle or the end of the hydroperiod in bacteria, micro‐ and macroinvertebrates and amphibians. Thus, processes homogenizing and heterogenising pond metacommunities must be balanced in both studied regions. Temporal variation in alpha and beta diversity was similar for ponds in both regions, except for macroinvertebrates and amphibians, suggesting differential effects on community variation observable only in animals with longer life‐spans, at our temporal scale of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2023
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25. Uso de la diversidad biológica de grupos indicadores para evaluar la compensación ecológica: el caso del Embalse Río Piedras, Costa Rica

Author

Sasa, Mahmood, Oviedo-Brenes, Federico, Beneyto-Garrigos, Davinia, Bonilla, Fabián, Arevalo, J.-Edgardo, Sánchez, Ragde, Morales-Gutiérrez, Lilliam, Arias-Ortega, Jazmín, Vargas-Castro, Ronald, Serrano-Sandí, Juan, Monrós, Juan-S., and Hanson, Paul

Subjects
environmental offsets, species wealth, impact study, Bioindicators, diversidad, equivalencia ecológica, estudio de impacto, ecological equivalence, bioindicadores, riqueza de especies, compensación ambiental, biodiversity
Abstract

Resumen Introducción: Cerca de 113 hectáreas dentro de la Reserva Biológica Lomas de Barbudal (RBLB) se inundarían si se llegara a establecer el embalse de riego Río Piedras en el noroeste de Costa Rica. Ante ese impacto inevitable, la legislación costarricense requiere evaluar la pérdida de diversidad en el sitio y compensarla siguiendo el principio de equivalencia ecológica. Objetivo: Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la pérdida de diversidad en el sitio y, valorar esta condición en una propiedad privada adyacente considerada como sitio potencial para compensar por esas pérdidas. Metodología: La diversidad, composición y prioridad de conservación de plantas vasculares, fauna vertebrada y artrópodos del sotobosque fueron evaluadas en el sitio de inundación en RBLB y en una propiedad privada adyacente identificada como sitio potencial de compensación. La equivalencia en diversidad entre ambos sitios se valoró mediante un procedimiento que asigna puntajes a los diferentes indicadores del sitio de compensación respecto a los observados en RBLB. La suma de esos puntajes representa la condición de diversidad del sitio de compensación y puede utilizarse como criterio para fundamentar acciones resarcitorias. Resultados: Todos los grupos sustitutos registraron un alto número de especies, aunque la información aportada por las plantas herbáceas, los mamíferos no voladores y los reptiles fue limitada. En contraste, los otros grupos indican una mayor diversidad en el sitio potencial de inundación, atribuida a sutiles diferencias ambientales y a su mejor conservación. En consecuencia, se valoró sustituir el área afectada por un área mayor del sitio de compensación para resarcir las perdidas en diversidad estimadas. Conclusión: Nuestro análisis muestra que grupos sustitutos pueden ser empleados en estudios ambientales a corto plazo. Sin embargo, los grupos a utilizar deben seleccionarse cuidadosamente, considerando los objetivos y el alcance del proyecto. Cuantificar la condición de diversidad del sitio de compensación respecto a la que se encuentra en un sitio de referencia parece ser un procedimiento válido, repetible y evaluable que permite establecer criterios sobre los cuales basar medidas resarcitorias. Abstract Introduction: About 113 hectares within the Lomas de Barbudal Biological Reserve (RBLB) would be flooded if the Río Piedras irrigation reservoir were established in northwestern Costa Rica. Given this inevitable impact, Costa Rican legislation requires evaluating the loss of diversity in the site and compensating for it following the principle of ecological equivalence. Objetive: Our goal was to assess the loss of diversity at that site and evaluate the condition of an adjacent private property as a potential site to compensate for those losses. Methodology: The diversity, composition, and conservation priority of vascular plants, vertebrate fauna, and understory arthropods were assessed at the RBLB flood site and on an adjacent private property identified as a potential offset site. The equivalence in diversity between both sites was evaluated by assigning scores to the different indicators at the compensation site concerning those observed in RBLB. The sum of these scores represents the diversity condition of the compensation site and can be used as a criterion to support compensatory actions. Results: All surrogate groups recorded a high number of species, although the information provided by herbaceous plants, non-flying mammals, and reptiles was limited. In contrast, the other groups indicate a greater diversity in the potential flood site, attributed to subtle environmental differences and the better conservation at this site. Consequently, it was assessed to replace the affected area with a larger offset site area to compensate for the estimated losses in diversity. Conclusion: Our analysis shows that surrogate groups can be used in short-term environmental studies. However, the groups to be used must be carefully selected, considering the objectives and scope of the project. Quantifying the diversity condition of the compensation site concerning that found in a reference site seems to be a valid, repeatable, and evaluable procedure that allows establishing criteria on which to base compensatory measures.

Published
2022

26. Compensación ambiental por la segregación y uso de un área dentro de un refugio de vida silvestre: un caso de estudio empleando coste de oportunidad

Author

Sasa, Mahmood, Bonilla, Fabián, Arevalo, J.-Edgardo, Oviedo-Brenes, Federico, Jiménez-Vargas, José-Esteban, Triana, Felipe, Cedeño-Fonseca, Marco-Vinicio, López, Wagner, Granados-Martínez, Sofía, Alán-Mora, Alan-Gerardo, and Alfaro-Salazar, Ronney

Subjects
estudio de impacto ambiental, environmental offsets, área protegida, SINAC, Las Tablillas, impact study, protected area, equivalencia ecológica, ecological equivalence, compensación ambiental
Abstract

Resumen Introducción: El establecimiento del Puesto Fronterizo Las Tablillas implica la segregación de 12.12 ha del Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Corredor Fronterizo (RNVSCF), en el norte de Costa Rica. El sitio tiene una larga historia de uso de la tierra y su entorno natural está muy degradado. Este es un caso que se puede abordar desde el coste de oportunidad que se refiere al valor de la alternativa a la que se renuncia al tomar una decisión económica. Objetivo: En este artículo, usamos este precepto para evaluar la compensación por pérdidas en la estructura del hábitat y la biodiversidad si se interrumpiera la dinámica de sucesión dentro de un área silvestre protegida. Métodos: Para encontrar la ganancia neta en compensación requerida por dicha segregación, analizamos la diversidad y composición de la cubertura forestal cercana para pronosticar el ambiente que se perdería si se interrumpieran sus objetivos de conservación (costo de oportunidad). Compensar estas pérdidas requiere un ambiente equivalente, por lo que seleccionamos dos propiedades, entre 27 investigadas adyacentes al RNVSCF, que comparten cobertura forestal, están registradas legalmente y poseen atributos ambientales favorables para el diseño de reservas. Las dos propiedades seleccionadas y el sitio Las Tablillas fueron caracterizados a nivel de atributos geológicos e hidrológicos y de composición biológica de grupos indicadores. Resultados: Ambas propiedades son física y biológicamente favorables para el intercambio. La escogencia de cualquiera aumentaría el área del RNVSCF en más de 100 ha de un ambiente con mejor cobertura, más diversidad y mejor conexión con otras masas forestales que el observado en el sitio de segregación. Esto es una ventaja para el objetivo de conservación del refugio. Conclusión: En este caso, el coste de oportunidad favoreció la ganancia ambiental para la propuesta de compensación y podría ser utilizado para evaluar otras compensaciones que involucren ambientes sensibles o protegidos. Abstract Introduction: The establishment of the Las Tablillas Border Post implies the segregation of 12.12 ha within the National Wildlife Refuge Border Corridor (RNVSCF) in northern Costa Rica. The site has a long land use history, so its environment is highly degraded. This case can be studied from the opportunity cost, which refers to the amount of the alternative given up when making an economic decision. Objective: In this paper, we use this precept to assess the compensation for losses in habitat structure and biodiversity if succession dynamics within a protected wilderness area were interrupted. Methods: To find the net gain in compensation required by this segregation, we analyzed the diversity and composition of nearby forest cover to forecast the environment that would be lost if its conservation objectives were interrupted (opportunity cost). Compensating for these losses requires an equivalent environment, so we selected two properties, among the 27 investigated, that shared forest cover, are located adjacent to the RNVSCF, are registered, and possess other attributes favorable to the design of reserves. The two selected properties and the Las Tablillas site were characterized at the level of geological and hydrological attributes and the composition of indicator groups. Results: Both properties are physically and biologically favorable for the exchange. It would increase the area of the RNVSCF by more than 100 ha of an environment with better coverage, more diversity, and a better connection to other forest masses than the one observed in the segregation site, which is an advantage to the conservation objective of the refuge. Conclusion: In this case, the opportunity cost favored the environmental gain for the offset proposal and could be used to evaluate other compensation involving sensitive or protected environments.

Published
2022

27. Report of thanatosis in the Central American scorpions Tityus ocelote and Ananteris platnicki (Scorpiones Buthidae)

Author

Triana, Felipe, Bonilla, Fabián, Alfaro-Chinchilla, Adriana, Víquez, Carlos, Díaz, Cecilia, and Sasa, Mahmood

Subjects
Biodiversity, Taxonomy
Abstract

Triana, Felipe, Bonilla, Fabián, Alfaro-Chinchilla, Adriana, Víquez, Carlos, Díaz, Cecilia, Sasa, Mahmood (2022): Report of thanatosis in the Central American scorpions Tityus ocelote and Ananteris platnicki (Scorpiones Buthidae). Euscorpius 359: 1-5, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7163367, {"references":["BILDE, T., TUNI, C., ELSAYED, R., PEKAR, S., & TOFT, S. 2006. Death feigning in the face of sexual cannibalism. Biology Letters, 2(1): 23-25. https://doi.org/10.1098/ rsbl.2005.0392","BLASCO-AROSTEGUI, J., GARCIA-GILA, J., FRANCKE, O. F., BLASCO-AROSTEGUI, J., GARCIA-GILA, J. & FRANCKE, O. F.2020.Ecological aspects of the interactions between Centruroides limbatus and Tityus ocelote (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in a Caribbean forest of Costa Rica. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad, 91. https://doi.org/10.22201/ib.20078706e.2020.91.3418","COOK, D. R., SMITH, A. T., PROUD, D. N., VIQUEZ, C., & TOWSEND, Jr., V. R. 2013. Defensive responses of neotropical harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones) to generalist invertebrate predators. Caribbean Journal of Science, 47(2-3): 325-334. https://doi.org/10.18475/ cjos.v47i3.a20","COUTINHO, C., AYRES-PERES, L., ARAUJO, P. B., JARA, C. G. & SANTOS, S. 2013. Thanatosis in freshwater anomurans (Decapoda: Aeglidae). Journal of Natural History, 47(41-42): 2623-2632. https://doi.org/1 0.1080/00222933.2013.807949","FARKAS, T. E. 2016. Body size, not maladaptive gene flow, explains death-feigning behaviour in Timema cristinae stick insects. Evolutionary Ecology, 30(4): 623-634. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-016-9832-9","FRANCKE, O. F & STOCKWELL, S. A. 1987. Scorpions (Arachnida) of Costa Rica. Texas Tech University.","HANSEN, L. S., GONZALES, S. F., TOFT, S. & BILDE, T. 2008. Thanatosis as an adaptive male mating strategy in the nuptial gift-giving spider Pisaura mirabilis. Behavioral Ecology, 19(3): 546-551. https://doi. org/10.1093/beheco/arm165","HONMA, A., OKU, S. & NISHIDA, T. 2006. Adaptive significance of death feigning posture as a specialized inducible defence against gape-limited predators. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 273(1594): 1631- 1636. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3501","HUMPHREYS, R. K. & RUXTON, G. D. 2018. A review of thanatosis (death feigning) as an anti-predator behaviour. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 72(2): 22. https:// doi.org/10.1007/s00265-017-2436-8","KRAMS, I., KIVLENIECE, I., KUUSIK, A., KRAMA, T., FREEBERG, T. M., MAND, R., VRUBLEVSKA, J., RANTALA, M. J. & MAND, M. 2013. Predation selects for low resting metabolic rate and consistent individual differences in anti-predator behavior in a beetle. Acta Ethologica, 16(3): 163-172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-013-0147-3","KYNASTON, S. E., MCERLAIN-WARD, P. & MILL, P. J. 1994. Courtship, mating behaviour and sexual cannibalism in the praying mantis, Sphodromantis lineola. Animal Behaviour, 47(3): 739-741. https://doi. org/10.1006/anbe.1994.1103","LAWRENCE, S. E. 1992. Sexual cannibalism in the praying mantid, Mantis religiosa: A field study. Animal Behaviour, 43(4): 569-583. https://doi.org/10.1016/ S0003-3472(05)81017-6","LIRA, A. F., ALMEIDA, F. M. & ALBUQUERQUE, C. M. 2020. Reaction under the risk of predation: effects of age and sexual plasticity on defensive behavior in scorpion Tityus pusillus (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Journal of Ethology, 38(1): 13-19.","LOURENCO, W. R. 1993. A review of the geographical distribution of the genus Ananteris Thorell (Scorpiones: Buthidae), with description of a new species. Revista de Biologia Tropical, 41(3A): 697-701.","LOURENCO, W. R. 2006. Nouvelle proposition de decoupage sous-generique du genre Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones, Buthidae). Boletin Sociedad Entomologica Aragonesa, 39: 55-67.","MCKAYE, K. R. 1981. Field observation on death feigning: a unique hunting behavior by the predatory cichlid, Haplochromis livingstoni, of Lake Malawi. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 6(3): 361-365. https:// doi.org/10.1007/BF00005766","MONTOYA, M. & ARMAS, L. F. 2002. Escorpiones (Arachnida) del Archipielago de Bocas del Toro, Panama. Revista de Biologia Tropical, 50: 155-160.","NEVES, F. M. & PIE, M. R. 2018. On the adult behavioral repertoire of the sawfly Perreyia flavipes Konow, 1899 (Hymenoptera: Pergidae): movement, mating, and thanatosis. Neotropical Entomology, 47(1): 46-52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-017-0509-z","OJANGUREN-AFFILASTRO, A. A., ADILARDI, R. S., MATTONI, C. I., RAMIREZ, M. J. & CECCARELLI, F. S. 2017. Dated phylogenetic studies of the southernmost American buthids (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 110:39-49. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.ympev.2017.02.018","QUINTERO, D. & MIRANDA, R. 2007. Tityus cerroazul Lourenco (Scorpiones: Buthidae): Nueva sinonimia, notas sobre su biologIa, nuevos registros de distribuciOn en Panama, descripciOn del macho previamente desconocido y picadura mortal de un nino. Tecnociencia, 9(2): 121- 135.","ROGERS, S. M. & SIMPSON, S. J. 2014. Thanatosis. Current Biology, 24(21): R1031-R1033. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.cub.2014.08.051","SHREEVE, T. G., DENNIS, R. L. H. & WAKEHAM- DAWSON, A. 2006. Phylogenetic, habitat, and behavioural aspects of possum behaviour in European Lepidoptera. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera, 39: 80-85. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.266539","TANG, V. 2022. A new scorpion genus and species from China, Qianxie solegladi gen. et sp.n. (Scorpiones: Pseudochactidae). Euscorpius, 351:1-19.","TERUEL, R., & COZIJN, M. 2011. A checklist of the scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) of Panama, with two new records. Euscorpius, 133: 1-6. https://doi. org/10.18590/euscorpius.2011.vol2011.iss133.1","TOBLER, M. 2005. Feigning death in the Central American cichlid Parachromis friedrichsthalii. Journal of Fish Biology, 66(3): 877-881. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022- 1112.2005.00648.x","VIQUEZ, C. 1999. Escorpiones de Costa Rica. INBio.","VIQUEZ, C., DE ARMAS, L. & LOURENCO, W. 2005. Presencia de Tityus cerroazul Lourenco, 1986 (Scorpiones:Buthidae) en Costa Rica y descripciOn del macho. Boletin Sociedad Entomologica Aragonesa, 36: 93-96."]}

Published
2022
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28. Inconsistent response of taxonomic groups to space and environment in mediterranean and tropical pond metacommunities

Author

Gálvez, Ángel, primary, Peres‐Neto, Pedro R., additional, Castillo‐Escrivà, Andreu, additional, Bonilla, Fabián, additional, Camacho, Antonio, additional, García‐Roger, Eduardo M., additional, Iepure, Sanda, additional, Miralles‐Lorenzo, Javier, additional, Monrós, Juan S., additional, Olmo, Carla, additional, Picazo, Antonio, additional, Rojo, Carmen, additional, Rueda, Juan, additional, Sahuquillo, María, additional, Sasa, Mahmood, additional, Segura, Mati, additional, Armengol, Xavier, additional, and Mesquita‐Joanes, Francesc, additional

Published
2022
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30. Higher alpha and gamma, but not beta diversity in tropical than in Mediterraneantemporary ponds: A multi‐taxon spatiotemporal approach

Author

Gálvez, Ángel, Castillo‐Escrivà, Andreu, Magurran, Anne, Alambiaga, Iván, Bonilla, Fabián, Camacho, Antonio, García‐Roger, Eduardo M., Iepure, Sanda, Miralles‐Lorenzo, Javier, Monrós, Juan S., Olmo, Carla, Picazo, Antonio, Rojo, Carmen, Rueda, Juan, Sasa, Mahmood, Segura, Mati, Armengol, Xavier, and Mesquita‐Joanes, Francesc

Abstract

The latitudinal diversity gradient predicts that tropical regions should have higher alpha, beta, and gamma diversity than temperate areas. However, only a few studies have assessed the temporal variability of the different components of diversity across climatic regions. In this study, we compare, using a spatial and temporal approach, the diversity of multiple taxa inhabiting tropical and Mediterranean temporary ponds. We sampled the biological communities of each set of ponds on three occasions during the same hydrological year. Under a spatial framework, we analyzed, alpha, beta, and gamma diversities. With a temporal approach, we compared the coefficients of variation in alpha diversity for each local community, and temporal beta diversity. Differences between regions and sampling periods were tested using generalized linear mixed models. We found higher gamma and alpha diversity in the tropical ponds, as expected given the latitudinal differences between them. However, phytoplankton and microinvertebrates from the Mediterranean region, matched or even exceeded tropical alpha diversity on some occasions. Spatial beta diversity did not differ between regions, and it showed lower values at the middle or the end of the hydroperiod in bacteria, micro‐ and macroinvertebrates and amphibians. Thus, processes homogenizing and heterogenising pond metacommunities must be balanced in both studied regions. Temporal variation in alpha and beta diversity was similar for ponds in both regions, except for macroinvertebrates and amphibians, suggesting differential effects on community variation observable only in animals with longer life‐spans, at our temporal scale of analysis.

Published
2023
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32. Corrigendum to: Venomics of the poorly studied hognosed pitvipers Porthidium arcosae and Porthidium volcanicum

Author

Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Universidad de Costa Rica, Fundação Rondônia de Amparo ao Desenvolvimento das Ações Científicas e Tecnológicas e à Pesquisa do Estado de Rondônia, Calvete, Juan J. [0000-0001-5026-3122], Ruiz-Campos, Marco, Sanz, Libia, Bonilla, Fabián, Sasa, Mahmood, Lomonte, Bruno, Zaruma-Torres, Fausto, Terán, Maria, Fernández, Julián, Calvete, Juan J., Caldeira, Cleópatra A. S., Da Silva, Saulo L., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Universidad de Costa Rica, Fundação Rondônia de Amparo ao Desenvolvimento das Ações Científicas e Tecnológicas e à Pesquisa do Estado de Rondônia, Calvete, Juan J. [0000-0001-5026-3122], Ruiz-Campos, Marco, Sanz, Libia, Bonilla, Fabián, Sasa, Mahmood, Lomonte, Bruno, Zaruma-Torres, Fausto, Terán, Maria, Fernández, Julián, Calvete, Juan J., Caldeira, Cleópatra A. S., and Da Silva, Saulo L.

Abstract

We report the first proteomics analyses of the venoms of two poorly studied snakes, the Manabi hognosed pitviper Porthidium arcosae endemic to the western coastal province of Manabí (Ecuador), and the Costa Rican hognosed pitviper P. volcanicum with distribution restricted to South Pacific Costa Rica and western Panamá. These venom proteomes share a conserved compositional pattern reported in four other congeneric species within the clade of South American Porthidium species, P. nasutum, P. lansbergii, P. ophryomegas, and P. porrasi. The paraspecific immunorecognition profile of antivenoms produced in Costa Rica (ICP polyvalent), Perú (Instituto Nacional de Salud) and Brazil (soro antibotrópico pentavalente, SAB, from Instituto Butantan) against the venom of P. arcosae was investigated through a third-generation antivenomics approach. The maximal venom-binding capacities of the investigated antivenoms were 97.1 mg, 21.8 mg, and 25.7 mg of P. arcosae venom proteins per gram of SAB, ICP, and INS-PERU antibody molecules, respectively, which translate into 28.4 mg, 13.1 mg, and 15.2 mg of total venom proteins bound per vial of SAB, ICP, and INS-PERU AV. The antivenomics results suggest that 21.8%, 7.8% and 6.1% of the SAB, ICP, and INS-PERU antibody molecules recognized P. arcosae venom toxins. The SAB antivenom neutralized P. arcosae venom's lethality in mice with an ED50 of 31.3 mgV/g SAB AV. This preclinical neutralization paraspecificity points to Brazilian SAB as a promising candidate for the treatment of envenomings by Ecuadorian P. arcosae. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Assessing the preclinical efficacy profile of antivenoms against homologous and heterologous medically relevant snake venoms represents an important goal towards defining the biogeographic range of their clinical utility. This is particularly relevant in regions, such as Mesoamerica, where a small number of pharmaceutical companies produce antivenoms against the venoms of a small number of species of m

Published
2022

38. Inconsistent response of taxonomic groups to space and environment in mediterranean and tropical pond metacommunities.

Author

Gálvez, Ángel, Peres‐Neto, Pedro R., Castillo‐Escrivà, Andreu, Bonilla, Fabián, Camacho, Antonio, García‐Roger, Eduardo M., Iepure, Sanda, Miralles‐Lorenzo, Javier, Monrós, Juan S., Olmo, Carla, Picazo, Antonio, Rojo, Carmen, Rueda, Juan, Sahuquillo, María, Sasa, Mahmood, Segura, Mati, Armengol, Xavier, and Mesquita‐Joanes, Francesc

Subjects
SPACE environment, PONDS, PUBLIC spaces, BIOTIC communities, ZOOPLANKTON, STOCHASTIC processes, AQUATIC organisms, MARINE zooplankton
Abstract

The metacommunity concept provides a theoretical framework that aims at explaining organism distributions by a combination of environmental filtering, dispersal, and drift. However, few works have attempted a multitaxon approach and even fewer have compared two distant biogeographical regions using the same methodology. We tested the expectation that temperate (mediterranean‐climate) pond metacommunities would be more influenced by environmental and spatial processes than tropical ones, because of stronger environmental gradients and a greater isolation of waterbodies. However, the pattern should be different among groups of organisms depending on their dispersal abilities. We surveyed 30 tropical and 32 mediterranean temporary ponds from Costa Rica and Spain, respectively, and obtained data on 49 environmental variables. We characterized the biological communities of bacteria and archaea (from the water column and the sediments), phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, amphibians and birds, and estimated the relative role of space and environment on metacommunity organization for each group and region, by means of variation partitioning using generalized additive models. Purely environmental effects were important in both tropical and mediterranean ponds, but stronger in the latter, probably due to their larger limnological heterogeneity. Spatially correlated environment and pure spatial effects were greater in the tropics, related to higher climatic heterogeneity and dispersal processes (e.g., restriction, surplus) acting at different scales. The variability between taxonomic groups in the contribution of spatial and environmental factors to metacommunity variation was very wide, but higher in active, compared with passive, dispersers. Higher environmental effects were observed in mediterranean passive dispersers, and higher spatial effects in tropical passive dispersers. The unexplained variation was larger in the tropical setting, suggesting a higher role for stochastic processes, unmeasured environmental factors, or biotic interactions in the tropics, although this difference affected some actively dispersing groups (insects and birds) more than passive dispersers. These results, despite our limitations in comparing only two regions, provide support, for a wide variety of aquatic organisms, for the classic view of stronger abiotic niche constraints in temperate areas compared with the tropics. The heterogeneous response of taxonomic groups between regions also points to a stronger influence of regional context than organism adaptations on metacommunity organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2023
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39. Venomics of the poorly studied hognosed pitvipers Porthidium arcosae and Porthidium volcanicum

Author

Fundação Rondônia de Amparo ao Desenvolvimento das Ações Científicas e Tecnológicas e à Pesquisa do Estado de Rondônia, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Universidad de Costa Rica, Ruiz, Marco, Sanz, Libia, Bonilla, Fabián, Sasa, Mahmood, Lomonte, Bruno, Zaruma-Torres, Fausto, Terán, María, Fernández, Julián, Calvete, Juan J., Caldeira, Cleópatra A.S., Da Silva, Saulo L., Fundação Rondônia de Amparo ao Desenvolvimento das Ações Científicas e Tecnológicas e à Pesquisa do Estado de Rondônia, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Universidad de Costa Rica, Ruiz, Marco, Sanz, Libia, Bonilla, Fabián, Sasa, Mahmood, Lomonte, Bruno, Zaruma-Torres, Fausto, Terán, María, Fernández, Julián, Calvete, Juan J., Caldeira, Cleópatra A.S., and Da Silva, Saulo L.

Abstract

We report the first proteomics analyses of the venoms of two poorly studied snakes, the Manabi hognosed pitviper Porthidium arcosae endemic to the western coastal province of Manabí (Ecuador), and the Costa Rican hognosed pitviper P. volcanicum with distribution restricted to South Pacific Costa Rica and western Panamá. These venom proteomes share a conserved compositional pattern reported in four other congeneric species within the clade of South American Porthidium species, P. nasutum, P. lansbergii, P. ophryomegas, and P. porrasi. The paraspecific immunorecognition profile of antivenoms produced in Costa Rica (ICP polyvalent), Perú (Instituto Nacional de Salud) and Brazil (soro antibotrópico pentavalente, SAB, from Instituto Butantan) against the venom of P. arcosae was investigated through a third-generation antivenomics approach. The maximal venom-binding capacities of the investigated antivenoms were 97.1 mg, 21.8 mg, and 25.7 mg of P. arcosae venom proteins per gram of SAB, ICP, and INS-PERU antibody molecules, respectively, which translate into 28.4 mg, 13.1 mg, and 15.2 mg of total venom proteins bound per vial of SAB, ICP, and INS-PERU AV. The antivenomics results suggest that 21.8%, 7.8% and 6.1% of the SAB, ICP, and INS-PERU antibody molecules recognized P. arcosae venom toxins. The SAB antivenom neutralized P. arcosae venom's lethality in mice with an ED50 of 31.3 mgV/g SAB AV. This preclinical neutralization paraspecificity points to Brazilian SAB as a promising candidate for the treatment of envenomings by Ecuadorian P. arcosae. Biological significance: Assessing the preclinical efficacy profile of antivenoms against homologous and heterologous medically relevant snake venoms represents an important goal towards defining the biogeographic range of their clinical utility. This is particularly relevant in regions, such as Mesoamerica, where a small number of pharmaceutical companies produce antivenoms against the venoms of a small number of species of m

Published
2021

40. Mutual enlightenment: A toolbox of concepts and methods for integrating evolutionary and clinical toxinology via snake venomics and the contextual stance

Author

Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Norwegian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia), Universidad de Costa Rica, Calvete, Juan J. [0000-0001-5026-3122], Calvete, Juan J., Lomonte, Bruno, Saviola, Anthony J., Bonilla, Fabián, Sasa, Mahmood, Williams, David J., Undheim, Eivind A. B., Sunagar, Kartik, Jackson, Timothy N. W., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Norwegian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia), Universidad de Costa Rica, Calvete, Juan J. [0000-0001-5026-3122], Calvete, Juan J., Lomonte, Bruno, Saviola, Anthony J., Bonilla, Fabián, Sasa, Mahmood, Williams, David J., Undheim, Eivind A. B., Sunagar, Kartik, and Jackson, Timothy N. W.

Abstract

Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease that may claim over 100,000 human lives annually worldwide. Snakebite occurs as the result of an interaction between a human and a snake that elicits either a defensive response from the snake or, more rarely, a feeding response as the result of mistaken identity. Snakebite envenoming is therefore a biological and, more specifically, an ecological problem. Snake venom itself is often described as a "cocktail", as it is a heterogenous mixture of molecules including the toxins (which are typically proteinaceous) responsible for the pathophysiological consequences of envenoming. The primary function of venom in snake ecology is pre-subjugation, with defensive deployment of the secretion typically considered a secondary function. The particular composition of any given venom cocktail is shaped by evolutionary forces that include phylogenetic constraints associated with the snake's lineage and adaptive responses to the snake's ecological context, including the taxa it preys upon and by which it is predated upon. In the present article, we describe how conceptual frameworks from ecology and evolutionary biology can enter into a mutually enlightening relationship with clinical toxinology by enabling the consideration of snakebite envenoming from an "ecological stance". We detail the insights that may emerge from such a perspective and highlight the ways in which the high-fidelity descriptive knowledge emerging from applications of -omics era technologies - "venomics" and "antivenomics" - can combine with evolutionary explanations to deliver a detailed understanding of this multifactorial health crisis.

Published
2021

41. Additional file 1 of Trait differentiation and modular toxin expression in palm-pitvipers

Author

Mason, Andrew, Margres, Mark, Strickland, Jason, Rokyta, Darin, Sasa, Mahmood, and Parkinson, Christopher

Abstract

Additional file 1 This file contains supplemental table S1 and supplemental figure S1. Supplemental table S1 denotes module assignment of all coding sequence used in WGCNA analyses. Supplemental figure S1 shows phylogenetic trees of orthogroups containing toxins derived from amino acid alignments of coding sequences by OrthoFinder.

Published
2020
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42. Venomics of the Duvernoy's gland secretion of the false coral snake Rhinobothryum bovallii (Andersson, 1916) and assessment of venom lethality towards synapsid and diapsid animal models

Author

Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), Calvete, Juan J. [0000-0001-5026-3122], Calvete, Juan J., Bonilla, Fabián, Granados-Martínez, Sofía, Sanz, Libia, Lomonte, Bruno, Sasa, Mahmood, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), Calvete, Juan J. [0000-0001-5026-3122], Calvete, Juan J., Bonilla, Fabián, Granados-Martínez, Sofía, Sanz, Libia, Lomonte, Bruno, and Sasa, Mahmood

Abstract

The Duvernoy's gland secretory proteome of the false coral snake Rhinobothryum bovallii (Costa Rica), unveiled applying bottom-up venomics, comprises a handful of toxins belonging to only three protein families, three-finger toxin (3FTx), cysteine-rich secretory protein (CRISP), and snake venom metalloprotease (PIII-SVMP). Except for small differences in the relative abundance of the PIII-SVMPs, which may be due to individual variability, no evidence of geographic variability or ontogenetic changes was found among the venom proteomes of the juvenile and adult R. bovallii snakes sampled. Major monomeric (86.5%mol) and minor dimeric (2.8%mol) 3FTxs dominate the toxin arsenal of the Costa Rican false coral snake. The remaining 10.7% of the venom proteome comprises CRISP (8.2%) and PIII-SVMP (2.4%) molecules. In vivo lethality assays showed that R. bovallii produces venom that is non-toxic towards mammalian prey, and which exerts a different toxic effect on domestic chicken chicks and baby green iguana. Toxicovenomic analysis of R. bovallii venom in the iguana model identified two 3FTx RP-HPLC fractions that faithfully mimicked the irreversible immobilizing effect of the whole venom. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: With more than 2200 species in family Colubridae (sensu lato), rear-fanged snakes comprise approximately two-thirds of the extant species of advanced snakes. Snakebites from venomous snakes that are of medical concern are predominantly from front-fanged snakes of families Viperidae and Elapidae. On the other hand, rear-fanged snakes have been conventionally considered non-venomous, and thus their venoms have remained a largely untapped area of venomics. However, increasing documentation of life-threadening, even fatal, envenomings from rear-fanged snakes has sparked interest in their venoms. Appying bottom-up venomics we have revealed that the Duvernoy's gland secretory proteome of R. bovallii comprises a handful of toxins belonging to only three protein families, w

Published
2020

43. Comparative characterization of Viperidae snake venoms from Perú reveals two compositional patterns of phospholipase A2 expression

Author

Universidad de Costa Rica, Lomonte, Bruno, Díaz, Cecilia, Chaves, Fernando, Fernández, Julián, Ruiz, Marco, Salas, María, Zavaleta, Alfonso, Calvete, Juan J., Sasa, Mahmood, Universidad de Costa Rica, Lomonte, Bruno, Díaz, Cecilia, Chaves, Fernando, Fernández, Julián, Ruiz, Marco, Salas, María, Zavaleta, Alfonso, Calvete, Juan J., and Sasa, Mahmood

Abstract

Snake species within the Bothrops complex (sensu lato) are of medical relevance in Latin America, but knowledge on their venom characteristics is limited, or even unavailable, for some taxa. Perú harbors 17 species of pit vipers, within the genera Bothrops, Bothriechis, Bothrocophias, Porthidium, Crotalus, and Lachesis. This study compared the venoms of twelve species, through chromatographic and electrophoretic profiles, as well as proteolytic and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activities. Also, proteomic profiles were analyzed for nine of the venoms using a shotgun approach. Results unveiled conspicuous differences in the expression of venom PLA2s among species, six of them presenting scarce levels as judged by RP-HPLC profiles. Since most species within the bothropoid lineage possess venoms with high to intermediate abundances of this protein family, our findings suggest the existence of a phenotypic duality in the expression of venom PLA2s within the Bothrops (sensu lato) complex. Bothrops barnetti and Bothrocophias andianus venoms, very scarce in PLA2s, were shown to lack significant myotoxic activity, highlighting that the observed variability in PLA2 expression bears toxicological correlations with effects attributed to these proteins. Finally, an attempt to identify phylogenetic relationships of bothropoid species from Perú presenting low- or high-PLA2 venom phenotypes showed an interspersed pattern, thus precluding a simple phylogenetic interpretation of this venom compositional dichotomy.

Published
2020

46. Environment and Space Rule, but Time Also Matters for the Organization of Tropical Pond Metacommunities

Author

Gálvez, Ángel, primary, Aguilar-Alberola, Josep Antoni, additional, Armengol, Xavier, additional, Bonilla, Fabián, additional, Iepure, Sanda, additional, Monrós, Juan Salvador, additional, Olmo, Carla, additional, Rojo, Carmen, additional, Rueda, Juan, additional, Rueda, Ricardo, additional, Sasa, Mahmood, additional, and Mesquita-Joanes, Francesc, additional

Published
2020
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50. New insights into the phylogeographic distribution of the 3FTx/PLA2 venom dichotomy across genus Micrurus in South America

Author

Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), Sanz, Libia, Quesada-Bernat, Sarai, Ramos, T., Casais-e-Silva, L. L., Corrêa-Netto, Carlos, Silva-Haad, J. J., Sasa, Mahmood, Lomonte, Bruno, Calvete, Juan J., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), Sanz, Libia, Quesada-Bernat, Sarai, Ramos, T., Casais-e-Silva, L. L., Corrêa-Netto, Carlos, Silva-Haad, J. J., Sasa, Mahmood, Lomonte, Bruno, and Calvete, Juan J.

Abstract

Micrurus is a monophyletic genus of venomous coral snakes of the family Elapidae. The ~80 recognized species within this genus are endemic to the Americas, and are distributed from southeastern United States to northern Argentina. Although relatively few bites are recorded due to their reclusive nature, semi-fossorial habits, and their occurrence in sparsely populated areas, coral snakes possess powerful venoms that target the cholinergic system and, if early treatment is missed, can cause neuromuscular paralysis, respiratory failure, and death by asphyxiation within hours of envenoming. The to-date proteomically characterized 18 micrurine venoms exhibit a puzzling phenotypic dichotomy, characterized by the toxin arsenal being dominated either by pre-synaptically acting PLAs or post-synaptic 3FTxs, and a general, but imperfect, distributional pattern of these venom phenotypes along the North-South axis of the American continent. The lack of perfect phylogenetic clustering suggests that phylogeny may not be the sole factor driving the evolution of the divergent venom phenotypes across Micrurus venoms. To shed new light on the origin and expression pattern of the 3FTx/PLA venom dichotomy, we have conducted a comparative proteomics analysis of venoms from the Brazilian ribbon coral snake, Micrurus lemniscatus carvalhoi, sourced from different localities in the Brazilian states of São Paulo; the Caatinga coral snake, M. ibiboboca, from central Bahia state (Brazil); two Micrurus specimens of uncertain taxonomy collected in the Brazilian states of Alagoas and Rio de Janeiro; and the Western ribbon coral snake, M. l. helleri, from Leticia, the southernmost town of the Colombian Department of Amazonas. Venoms from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro showed 3FTx-predominant phenotypes, while in venoms from Leticia, Alagoas and Bahia PLAs represented the major toxin family. Comparative venom proteomics suggests that both Micrurus venom phenotypes exhibit a high degree of toxin evolv

Published
2019

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