Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal: Toxins

Volume number: 13

Issue number: 4

eISSN: 2072-6651

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13040270

Publisher: MDPI

Abstract: 
Spiders are one of the most successful groups of venomous animals, but surprisingly few species have been examined in sufficient detail to determine the structure of their venom systems. To learn more about the venom system of the family Araneidae (orb-weavers), we selected the wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi) and examined the general structure and morphology of the venom apparatus by light microscopy. This revealed morphological features broadly similar to those reported in the small number of other spiders subject to similar investigations. However, detailed evaluation of the venom duct revealed the presence of four structurally distinct compartments. We propose that these subunits facilitate the expression and secretion of venom components, as previously reported for similar substructures in pit vipers and cone snails.

Harvard Citation style: Schmidtberg, H., von Reumont, B., Lemke, S., Vilcinskas, A. and Lueddecke, T. (2021) Morphological Analysis Reveals a Compartmentalized Duct in the Venom Apparatus of the Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi), Toxins, 13(4), Article 270. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13040270

APA Citation style: Schmidtberg, H., von Reumont, B., Lemke, S., Vilcinskas, A., & Lueddecke, T. (2021). Morphological Analysis Reveals a Compartmentalized Duct in the Venom Apparatus of the Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi). Toxins. 13(4), Article 270. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13040270