John Dunbar

University of Galway | NUI Galway · Department of Zoology

Snake venoms possess a range of pharmacological and toxicological activities. Here we evaluated the antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity against methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA) of venoms from the Samar spitting cobra Naja samarensis and the Puff adder Bitis arietans. Both venoms prevented b...

The noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis is a globally invasive species with implications for public health and possibly for native ecosystems. Here, we report on a case of predation on a protected species of vertebrate, a pygmy shrew Sorex minutus in Britain. The importance and novelty of this report are: (1) this is the third documented case...

We report on two sightings of P. chrysops, the first on the island of Ireland, and we provide a genetic barcode to assist researchers in the future.

Venom compositions include complex mixtures of toxic proteins that evolved to immobi-lize/dissuade organisms by disrupting biological functions. Venom production is metabolically expensive , and parsimonious use is expected, as suggested by the venom optimisation hypothesis. The decision-making capacity to regulate venom usage has never been demons...

The noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis continues to expand its range globally with possible implications for public health and native species. Of the European Union list of 66 species of invasive plants and animals, none are spiders. S. nobilis is invasive around the world, but its impact on native species has not been fully assessed. Here,...

Spider species across 27 families have been recorded naturally preying upon vertebrates. Intricate three-dimensional webs, predation strategies, and potent neurotoxic venom allow Latrodectus and Steatoda spiders to subdue vertebrate prey that are many times larger and heavier than themselves. Yet, little is known about the behaviour associated with...

Context In recent years, the Noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis (Thorell, 1875) has expanded its range globally and may represent a potential threat to native ecosystems and public health. Increasing numbers in synanthropic habitats have led to more human encounters and envenomations. Steatoda nobilis bites were previously classed as medical...

The false widow spider Steatoda nobilis is associated with bites which develop bacterial infections that are sometimes unresponsive to antibiotics. These could be secondary infections derived from opportunistic bacteria on the skin or infections directly vectored by the spider. In this study, we investigated whether it is plausible for S. nobilis a...

The noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis originates from the Macaronesian archipelago and has expanded its range globally. Outside of its natural range, it may have a negative impact on native wildlife, and in temperate regions it lives in synanthropic environments where it frequently encounters humans, subsequently leading to envenomations. S...

Introduction: Snakes, insects, arachnids and myriapods have been linked to necrosis following envenomation. However, the pathways involved in arthropod venom-induced necrosis remain a highly controversial topic among toxinologists, clinicians and the public. On the one hand, clinicians report on alleged envenomations based on symptoms and the victi...

The family Theridiidae (Sundevall, 1833) comprises over 2,200 species of ecribellate spiders worldwide, of which many have synanthropic affinities. It has been estimated that Theridiidae spiders are the most diverse non-native spiders in Europe, with 13 alien species having successfully established colonies across the continent between 1850 and 200...

As the Noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis (Thorell 1875) continues to expand its range across Europe, Asia and the Americas, its potential as an invasive species has not yet been fully assessed. Latrodectinae spiders are remarkably adaptable and possess fast-acting neurotoxic venom that can cause neuromuscular paralysis in vertebrates and oc...

Objective: The noble false widow Steatoda nobilis is the only medically significant spider known to occur in the British Isles and Ireland, with a single case of steatodism ever reported from Great Britain. We present here five new cases of envenomations by S. nobilis, three from Ireland and two from Great Britain and describe symptoms not previous...

The noble false widow Steatoda nobilis (Thorell, 1875) has established thriving populations in urban centres throughout England and Wales since it was accidentally imported from the Canary Islands and Madeira to Britain over a century ago. In recent years, Steatoda nobilis has colonised parts of Western Europe, California, Chile and the Middle East...

Background: Snake venoms contain many proteinaceous toxins that can cause severe pathology and mortality in snakebite victims. Interestingly, mRNA encoding such toxins can be recovered directly from venom, although yields are low and quality is unknown. It also remains unclear whether such RNA contains information about toxin isoforms and whether...

Multiple sequence alignments for PLA2 (A), KSPI (B), CTL (C) and SVMP (D) amino acid sequences translated from transcripts isolated from the VTRZ of several Elapidae species: A. s. intermedius, A. l. cowlesi, A. l. lubricus and N. kaouthia. (PDF)

Primers for elapid PLA2 (A), KSPI (B), CTL (C) and SVMP (D). (PDF)

Osteomyelitis is frequently reported in turtles, lizards and snakes and Salmonellae are increasingly reported as the causative organism. However, very little is known of this disease occurring in crocodilians. Crocodilians are shy, robust animals and often hide clinical symptoms, especially when submerged in water. Knowledge of disease in crocodili...