Venom (toxins) is an important trait evolved along the evolutionary tree of animals. Our
knowledges on venoms, such as their origins and loss, the biological relevance and the …

Ants (Formicidae) represent a taxonomically diverse group of hymenopterans with over
13,000 extant species, the majority of which inject or spray secretions from a venom gland …

A central goal in biology is to determine the ways in which evolution repeats itself. One of the
most remarkable examples in nature of convergent evolutionary novelty is animal venom …

Venomous animals have been admired and feared since prehistoric times, and their venoms
have been used to both benefit and impair human health. In 326 BCE, Alexander the Great …

The insects are a hyperdiverse class containing more species than all other animal groups
combined—and many employ venom to capture prey, deter predators and micro-organisms …

Influenza is a severe contagious disease caused by influenza A and B viruses. The WHO
estimates that annual outbreaks lead to 3–5 million severe infections of which approximately …

Introduction: Animal venoms are complex chemical arsenals. Most venoms are rich in
bioactive peptides with proven potential as research tools, drug leads and drugs. Areas …

The public perception of spiders and scorpions is skewed towards the potential harm they
can inflict in humans, despite recent scientific evidence that arachnid venom components …

Centipedes are among the oldest extant venomous predators on the planet. Armed with a
pair of modified, venom-bearing limbs, they are an important group of predatory arthropods …

Animal venom is a complex cocktail of bioactive chemicals that traditionally drew interest
mostly from biochemists and pharmacologists. However, in recent years the evolutionary …