Vaejovis

Abstract: The phylogenetic associations of North American scorpion genera are examined. Several taxonomic changes are supported by new hypotheses of relationship. The subfamily Syntropinae is synonymized under Vaejovinae. Chactidae and Vaejovidae are restricted to their nominate subfamilies. Superstitioninae, Euscorpiinae, and Scorpiopsinae are raised to family rank. The subfamily Megacorminae is synonymized under Euscorpiinae. Anuroctonus Thorell and Nullibrotheas Williams are removed from Vaejovidae and placed in Iuridae and Chactidae, respectively. Troglotayosicus Lourenco and Belisarius Simon are transferred from Chactidae to Superstitionidae. Twelve species are transferred from Vaejovis Koch to Pseudouroctonus Stahnke. The diplocentrid genus Bioculus Stahnke is resurrected to contain four species from Baja California Sur, Mexico, that were traditionally placed in Didymocentrus Kraepelin. Paruroctonus (Smeringurus) Haradon is raised to the rank of genus. An illustrated key and annotated checklist are provided for the identification of the seven families and 25 genera of North American scorpions.

Abstract: Scorpions belonging to the Buthidae family have traditionally drawn much of the biochemist’s attention due to the strong toxicity of their venoms. Scorpions not toxic to mammals, however, also have complex venoms. They have been shown to be an important source of bioactive peptides, some of them identified as potential drug candidates for the treatment of several emerging diseases and conditions. It is therefore important to characterize the large diversity of components found in the non-Buthidae venoms. As a contribution to this goal, this manuscript reports the construction and characterization of cDNA libraries from four scorpion species belonging to the Vaejovis genus of the Vaejovidae family: Vaejovis mexicanus, V. intrepidus, V. subcristatus and V. punctatus. Some sequences coding for channel-acting toxins were found, as expected, but the main transcribed genes in the glands actively producing venom were those coding for non disulfide-bridged peptides. The ESTs coding for putative channel-acting toxins, corresponded to sodium channel β toxins, to members of the potassium channel-acting α or κ families, and to calcium channel-acting toxins of the calcin family. Transcripts for scorpine-like peptides of two different lengths were found, with some of the species coding for the two kinds. One sequence coding for La1-like peptides, of yet unknown function, was found for each species. Finally, the most abundant transcripts corresponded to peptides belonging to the long chain multifunctional NDBP-2 family and to the short antimicrobials of the NDBP-4 family. This apparent venom composition is in correspondence with the data obtained to date for other non-Buthidae species. Our study constitutes the first approach to the characterization of the venom gland transcriptome for scorpion species belonging to the Vaejovidae family.