Apomastus schlingeri

Apomastus schlingeri (misnomer Aptostichus schlingeri) is a species of venomous spiders belonging to a family of trapdoor spiders. They produce a complex of neurotoxins called aptotoxins.[1] Both known species of the genus are found in the United States.[2]

Apomastus schlingeri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Euctenizidae
Genus: Apomastus
Species:
A. schlingeri
Binomial name
Apomastus schlingeri
Bond & Opell, 2002

Venom

Apomastus schlingeri have a venom that is highly neurotoxic in effect. The neurotoxin is actually a complex of proteins called aptotoxins (Aps for short), which in turn belong to a group of neurotoxins called cyrtautoxins. There are at least nine different peptides, and most of them are directly paralytic and lethal to insect larvae.[3] All of the peptides are voltage-gated sodium channel blockers. To date, Aps III is known to be the most potent peptide of all.[1]

References

  1. Bende NS, Kang E, Herzig V, Bosmans F, Nicholson GM, Mobli M, King GF (2013). "The insecticidal neurotoxin Aps III is an atypical knottin peptide that potently blocks insect voltage-gated sodium channels". Biochem Pharmacol. 85 (10): 1541–1554. doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2013.02.030. PMC 3654253. PMID 23473802.
  2. "Apomastus schlingeri". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  3. Skinner WS, Dennis PA, Li JP, Quistad GB (1992). "Identification of insecticidal peptides from venom of the trap-door spider, Aptostichus schlingeri (Ctenizidae)". Toxicon. 30 (9): 1040–1053. doi:10.1016/0041-0101(92)90049-b. PMID 1440641.
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