Mites are masters at attaching to larger animals, often insects, in a temporary symbiosis
called phoresy that allows these tiny animals to exploit patchy resources. In this article, we …

The basal phylogeny of Chelicerata is one of the opaquest parts of the animal Tree of Life,
defying resolution despite application of thousands of loci and millions of sites. At the …

Deciphering the evolutionary relationships of Chelicerata (arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and
allied taxa) has proven notoriously difficult, due to their ancient rapid radiation and the …

Nested within the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, the Dinaric Karst of the western
Balkans is one of the world's most heterogeneous subterranean ecosystems and renowned …

Acariform mites are an ancient and megadiverse lineage that may have experienced a
complex pattern of invasions into terrestrial and aquatic habitats. These among-realm …

Scorpions are ancient and historically renowned for their potent venom. Traditionally, the
systematics of this group of arthropods was supported by morphological characters, until …

Arachnida is an exceptionally diverse class in the Arthropoda, consisting of 20 orders and
playing crucial roles in the terrestrial ecosystems. However, their interordinal relationships …

Linear cationic venom peptides are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that exert their effects by
damaging cell membranes. These peptides can be highly specific, and for some, a …

Gene duplication generates new genetic material that can contribute to the evolution of gene
regulatory networks and phenotypes. Duplicated genes can undergo subfunctionalization to …

Scorpions constitute a charismatic lineage of arthropods and comprise more than 2500
described species. Found throughout various tropical and temperate habitats, these …