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Brandon

@venomman20

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Changing the worlds perspective on venom
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🕷️🧬 WHEN TAXONOMY MEETS TOXINOLOGY: THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES! When I published my correspondence in Toxicon addressing taxonomic inaccuracies in tarantula venom research, my goal was to encourage scientific dialogue and collaboration. 🔬 Dr. Volker Herzig has now responded! His correspondence expands the discussion beyond species identification to another important challenge: establishing consistent toxin names despite changes in taxonomy and our understanding of venom biology. 📌 Two interconnected priorities: 🕷️ Taxonomic accuracy: Correctly identifying and documenting venom-source organisms. 🧬 Toxin nomenclature: Maintaining stable identifiers that preserve continuity across scientific research. 👏 I sincerely thank Dr. Herzig for his thoughtful contribution and for bringing another important perspective to this discussion. This is precisely why I initiated the dialogue: To encourage constructive criticism, collaboration, and practical solutions across taxonomy, venomics, and toxinology. 💬 I hope others will join the conversation. Science advances when we challenge ideas, share expertise, and work toward common solutions. 📖 Read both correspondences in Toxicon: 🔗 Roque (2026): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2026.109262 🔗 Herzig (2026): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2026.109318
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🐍 TO THE SNAKE COMMUNITY: THANK YOU. For many years, much of my work and the community surrounding Arácnido Taxonomy have been rooted in spiders and arachnology. As I have expanded the scientific content I share to include snakes, venom research, toxinology, genomics, envenomation, and conservation, I have learned something important: Building a new community takes time. 🙏 So, I want to recognize those who have welcomed and supported this work. A special thank you to the: 📸 Photographers who generously allow me to share their incredible work. 🔬 Researchers and scientists advancing our understanding of snakes, venoms, toxins, and evolution. 📚 Educators making complex science accessible to a broader audience. 🐍 Keepers and enthusiasts who continue to learn, ask questions, and promote responsible husbandry. 🌎 Conservationists working to protect these animals and the ecosystems they depend upon. 💬 Followers and supporters who read, comment, share, save, and engage with the research I post. Scientific papers can be technical. Venom proteomics, genomics, toxin evolution, taxonomy, clinical envenomation, and conservation are not always easy subjects to translate into social media content. But this science deserves an audience beyond academia. That is a major reason I continue doing this. 📣 IF THIS CONTENT MATTERS TO YOU, HELP IT REACH FURTHER. • ❤️ Like and engage with the posts. • 📲 Share the research with your community. • 🔖 Save papers that interest you. • 👥 Tag someone who would appreciate the science. • 💬 Ask questions and join the discussion. • 🤝 If you work with snakes, venomous animals, research, photography, conservation, or education, connect with me. Every interaction helps scientific information reach someone new. There is still a tremendous amount to learn and an even greater amount of good science worth sharing. 🐍 Thank you for being part of this journey. Education • Science • Venom Research • Awareness • Conservation • Community
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Would you pet this dog? . #viral #explorepage #fyp #love #dogsarethebest
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🕷️ WHEN A FUNNEL-WEB BITE BECOMES A CRITICAL EMERGENCY A newly published case report documents a dramatic Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) envenomation in a 2-year-old child, highlighting not only the potentially rapid severity of funnel-web envenomation but also an important challenge for emergency airway management. Following the bite, the child developed refractory generalized seizures, severe trismus (jaw rigidity), hypoxic and hypercapnic respiratory failure, and cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Seizure activity persisted despite two doses of midazolam. Perhaps one of the most clinically interesting aspects of the case occurred during rapid-sequence intubation. Trismus persisted despite administration of rocuronium, complicating airway management. The authors propose that this may have resulted from several simultaneous effects: ongoing seizure activity, direct venom-induced neuromuscular excitation, and excess synaptic acetylcholine potentially opposing the action of the neuromuscular blocker. Why does this matter? Sydney funnel-web venom can produce overlapping catecholaminergic and cholinergic toxidromes, meaning severe envenomation can affect multiple physiological systems simultaneously and deteriorate rapidly. This case demonstrates that venom pharmacology may also directly influence the medications clinicians depend upon during resuscitation. Fortunately, following one vial of funnel-web antivenom and intensive supportive care, the child made a complete recovery without residual neurological deficit. This remarkable case reinforces two important lessons: rapid recognition and antivenom administration remain critical in severe funnel-web envenomation, while clinicians must also anticipate venom–drug interactions during airway management. 📖 Chandru, P., & Stephenson, J. (2026). Severe Sydney funnel-web spider envenomation in a toddler: A case report. DOI: 10.1080/24734306.2026.2740880
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Can a snake be venomous and still pose no significant risk to people? 🐍 A new study of the smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) has reopened that conversation. Researchers identified specialized rear fangs connected to a venom-producing gland, challenging the long-standing description of this species as having no specialized fangs. In response, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation argues that “venomous” is technically a more accurate term for the smooth snake. But the word needs context: this finding does not mean smooth snakes have become a danger to people. Their anatomy has not changed; our understanding of it has. It is a reminder that venomous and medically dangerous are different questions. Good science asks us to describe the animal accurately—and good communication helps people understand what that description actually means. What do you think: How should we explain this distinction to the public? Sources: Paterna & Meier, Zootaxa (2026), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5873.1.8; #herpatology #snakes #snakebiology #evolution #science Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (2026). https://www.arc-trust.org/news/venomous-or-not-new-study-prompts-discussions-on-the-language-we-use-for-snakes
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🐍 What shapes the venom of a krait; where it lives, or its evolutionary history? A new proteomic investigation of 19 snakes representing five Bungarus species provides an intriguing answer: phylogeny may matter more than geography. Using RP-HPLC and tandem mass spectrometry, researchers identified 22–105 toxin proteins across the venoms studied. Two major toxin groups dominated the venom profiles: 🧬 Phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) — associated primarily with presynaptic neurotoxicity 🧬 Three-finger toxins (3FTx) — associated with postsynaptic neurotoxicity Together, these toxins accounted for more than 85% of total venom composition. Interestingly, geographic distance did not explain intraspecific venom variation in Bungarus caeruleus. Across the five krait species, differences in venom composition were instead more strongly shaped by evolutionary relationships than geography. Why does this matter? Krait envenomation is a major medical concern in South Asia, and understanding how venom varies between species directly affects antivenom design and effectiveness. The findings support the development of regionally representative antivenoms that incorporate venom diversity from multiple krait species, including species not traditionally targeted during antivenom production. Venom is not simply a chemical weapon, it is an evolving biological system shaped by millions of years of evolutionary history. 🐍 Venomics | Toxinology | Evolution | Antivenom Research Citation: 📚📖Alka Sahu, Anita Malhotra, Avinash C. Visvanathan, John Benjamin Owens, Sourish Kuttalam, Vishal Santra, Karthikeyan Vasudevan, Proteomic characterisation of the neurotoxic venoms of South Asian kraits and an assessment of drivers of venom variation,Biochimie, 2026,,ISSN 0300-9084, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biochi.2026.09.006. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii S0300908426002257)
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I think it’s broken . #explorepage #viral #explore #love #snakesofinstagram
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🕷️ A new tarantula species from Peru! The diversity of South American Theraphosidae continues to grow with the description of Urupelma lamarensis sp. nov., a newly recognized tarantula from the Ayacucho Department of south-central Peru. But this study goes beyond describing a new species. Radan Kaderka revises the interpretation of homologous keels on the male palpal bulbs of Urupelma, establishing a new framework for these important taxonomic characters and modifying the diagnosis of the genus and its species. The study also provides the first illustration of the female genitalia of Urupelma pampas and documents, for the first time, variation in the female genitalia of U. veronicae. This is a great example of why taxonomy is never simply about naming new species. It is also about continually refining the morphological characters we use to recognize species, understand their relationships, and define genera. Another important contribution to our understanding of Peru’s remarkable theraphosid diversity. Image Credit: “Urupelma pampas” Kaderka et al. 2023, from Peru, Apurímac, Chincheros. Habitus of female (MUSM-ENT 0515867). Photo: Radan Kaderka. 📖 Kaderka, R. (2026). A new species of Urupelma Kaderka et al. 2023 from Peru (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae), and a new proposal of homologous keels. Revista Peruana de Biología, 33(3), e32750. #Urupelma #UrupelmaLamarensis #Theraphosidae #Theraphosinae #Tarantula
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🦎🐍 VENOM BEFORE SPECIALISATION? Did venom evolve only after highly specialised venom-delivery systems appeared—or could functional venom have existed much earlier? A new review by Bryan G. Fry takes a closer look at one of the most debated questions in venom evolution, examining the early history of venom in lizards and snakes. Rather than treating venom evolution as a single evolutionary event, the paper separates several important transitions: the presence of toxin-related molecules, their recruitment into oral secretions, the development of biologically active venom, and the later evolution of specialised delivery systems. The evidence suggests that the story may be considerably more complex than a simple “venom present” versus “venom absent” classification. Across anguimorph lizards and snakes, anatomical, molecular, proteomic, functional, ecological, and phylogenetic evidence leaves open the possibility that functional venom arose earlier than some current evolutionary reconstructions suggest. Reduction, loss, retention, and independent elaboration may all have contributed to the venom systems we see today. Perhaps most importantly, the review highlights how much remains unresolved. Many key taxa still lack detailed studies of their oral glands, secretions, ecological function, and natural delivery. Venom evolution may not represent a single evolutionary switch. It may instead be a layered process—one written through millions of years of recruitment, functionalisation, reduction, loss, and specialisation. Citation 📚 Fry, B. G. (2026). Venom Before Specialisation? A Layered Assessment of Early Venom Evolutionin Lizards and Snakes. Toxins, 18(10), 409. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins18100409 #venomics #snake #rattlesnake
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🦂 A new scorpion species from southern Iraq! Meet Scorpio basraensis sp. n., a newly described species from Basra Province, Iraq, adding another piece to our understanding of scorpion diversity in the Middle East. Described by Yağmur, Makki, and Najim (2026), S. basraensis is distinguished from other members of the genus Scorpio by a unique combination of morphological characteristics, including features of the genital operculum, dense setation of the body and appendages, an elongated telson vesicle, chelal granulation, and pectinal tooth counts. The description of S. basraensis further expands our knowledge of Iraq’s scorpion fauna and highlights how much diversity remains to be documented across the region. Every newly described species adds another piece to the larger picture of arachnid biodiversity, evolution, and biogeography. 📖 Yağmur, E. A., Makki, J. A., & Najim, S. A. (2026). Scorpio basraensis sp. n. from southern Iraq (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae). Euscorpius, 2026(442), 1–11. #ScorpioBasraensis #Scorpio #Scorpions #Scorpiones #Scorpionidae @ersen_aydin_yagmur
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🐍 A snake, a sacrifice, and an antivenom that would save countless lives. The story of taipan antivenom is one of the most remarkable chapters in Australian toxinology. In 1950, snake enthusiast Kevin Budden successfully captured a live coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) in Far North Queensland. During the capture, Budden was bitten. Knowing the seriousness of the envenomation, he insisted that the snake not be killed, but instead be sent to the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories in Melbourne. Budden did not survive, but the snake did. Its venom contributed to research that ultimately led to the development of taipan antivenom in 1955. Its first use was on a young boy in Cairns who survived and later became an anaesthetist. It is a powerful story where natural history, venom research, medicine, and human courage intersect, and a reminder of the people behind some of the advances we now take for granted. Citation: Grace RF. The development of the Taipan Antivenom – An Australian story from Far North Queensland. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. 2026;0(0). doi:10.1177/0310057X261486046 #antivenom #snakebites #australia #history #science
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Got some new videos out now if you would like to check them how subscribe to my channel YouTube.com/@ReptilePlanet2000 for all of my educational content!!! #wildlife #contentcreater #conservation #education
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