Publications by authors named "Vittoria Cipriani"

Global change stressors can modify ecological niches of species, thereby altering ecological interactions within communities and food webs. Yet, some species might take advantage of a fast-changing environment, allowing species with high niche plasticity to thrive under climate change. We used natural CO vents to test the effects of ocean acidification on niche modifications of a temperate rocky reef fish assemblage.

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Pseudechis (black snakes) is an Australasian elapid snake genus that inhabits much of mainland Australia, with two representatives confined to Papua New Guinea. The present study is the first to analyse the venom of all 9 described Pseudechis species (plus one undescribed species) to investigate the evolution of venom composition and functional activity. Proteomic results demonstrated that the typical Pseudechis venom profile is dominated by phospholipase A toxins.

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Article Synopsis
  • Venom is an important evolutionary feature observed in many animals, helping them succeed in hunting or defense during the predator-prey relationship.
  • This study focused on the venom activity of nine species of Pseudonaja (brown snakes), known for causing most venomous bites in Australia, specifically examining how their venom affects blood coagulation.
  • Results showed that juvenile brown snakes have non-coagulopathic venom, which shifts to coagulopathic venom in adults, except for one species, indicating a connection between venom composition and dietary changes as they mature.
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Australia is the stronghold of the front-fanged venomous snake family Elapidae. The Australasian elapid snake radiation, which includes approximately 100 terrestrial species in Australia, as well as Melanesian species and all the world's sea snakes, is less than 12 million years old. The incredible phenotypic and ecological diversity of the clade is matched by considerable diversity in venom composition.

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