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The Journal
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Journal
Galway researchers have discovered why some spiders are more venomous than others
A NEW STUDY from the University of Galway's School of Natural Sciences has revealed why some spiders possess venom that is far more potent than others. The researchers analysed venom from more than 70 different spider species, to see if things like body size, prey type, and hunting method, could explain the wide variation in venom strength. They can now confirm that diet is one of the most influential factors in the potency of spider venom. They found that spider venoms are what is called 'prey-specific', meaning if a spider primarily hunts insects, its venom is likely to be particularly effective at killing insects in general, such as crickets and flies. Meanwhile, it may be far less effective against other non-insect prey, like small mammals. Lead author Dr Keith Lyons from University of Galway's School of Natural Sciences, said this could explain why species that are known to sometimes prey on small mammals, such as the Brazilian wandering spider or Black widow, have venoms that can cause medically significant effects in us humans. Advertisement 'Species that only prey on invertebrates, such as the Giant house spider, have evolved venoms that target invertebrate physiologies rather than our own, posing little threat to us,' he said. Dr Keith Lyons and Dr Kevin Healy, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway Andrew Downes Andrew Downes The findings were published today in the journal Biology Letters. The researchers also tested whether the use of webs to capture prey was related to the potency or volume of a spider's venom. Dr Kevin Healy, Senior author and Head of the Macroecology lab at the University's School of Natural Sciences, said that they 'surprisingly' found no relationship between the two. He said this suggests that webs are likely important for restraining prey in web-hunters, regardless of how deadly their venom is. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
21-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
University of Galway researchers uncover why some spiders have stronger venom than others
The team at the university's School of Natural Sciences analysed the venom of over 70 different species of spider. A number of factors were considered including the size of the spider, the type of prey they hunt and how they hunt it. The effects of a spider bite can vary significantly from one species to another. A bite from the Brazilian wandering spider can result in serious medical complications, but venom from a giant house spider commonly found in Ireland is of little threat to humans. The results have been published in the journal Biology Letters. The researchers, including lead author, Dr Keith Lyons, found spider venoms are 'prey-specific', making the diet of the spider one of the most important factors for determining how potent their venom is. Spiders that mainly hunt insects are likely to have venom particularly dangerous for insects but their venom has less impact on other prey such as small mammals. 'Our results show that spider venoms have evolved to be especially potent when tested on animals found in their diet in the wild,' Dr Lyons said. 'This may explain why species that are known to occasionally prey upon small mammals, such as the Brazilian wandering spider or black widow, have venoms that can cause medically significant effects in us humans, whereas species that only prey on invertebrates, such as the giant house spider, have evolved venoms that target invertebrate physiologies rather than our own, posing little threat to us.' The research also examined whether the spiders' use of webs to catch their prey had any relation to the strength or volume of venom. 'We predicted that web-hunting spiders might have less potent venoms because they may have evolved to rely more on their webs to immobilise prey,' senior author and head of the macro-ecology lab at the School of Natural Sciences, Dr Kevin Healy, said. 'Surprisingly, we found no relationship between whether a spider used their web and the potency of their venom, suggesting that webs are likely important for restraining prey in web-hunters, regardless of how deadly their venom is. 'This study helps us to understand the evolution of spider venoms and aids in our understanding of why some spiders, such as the noble false widow, become invasive species in some parts of the world, or how some venoms may be of particular interest for future drug discovery, or the development of pest species-specific, pollinator-friendly insecticides.' 'By understanding the fundamental drivers of venom evolution, we can better predict the types of biomolecules in spider venoms that have yet to be explored for drug discovery and why some species of spiders are more likely to become invasive species,' Dr Michel Dugon, of the Ryan Institute, said.
