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First insights into the role of evolutionary history in shaping venom composition of Vipera ammodytes.

Margareta Lakušić·Costanza Piccoli·Marko Anđelković·Kostadin Andonov·Ivona Burić·José Carlos Brito·Angel Dyugmedzhiev·Saudin Merdan·Lennart Schmid·Elias Tzoras·Benjamin Florian-Hempel·Fernando Martínez-Freiría
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Abstract

Understanding intraspecific venom variation requires distinguishing the contributions of neutral population history from natural selection. This study aims to determine whether venom variation in Vipera ammodytes species complex is structured across eight phylogenetic groups. Despite a complex evolutionary history, venom composition did not differ among phylogenetic groups within the analytical framework used, suggesting that shared ancestry alone does not explain venom variation. Whether local adaptation to environmental conditions explains the observed variation remains an open question for future studies.

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AnimalsViper VenomsViperaPhylogenyBiological EvolutionViperidaeSpectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-IonizationBalkan peninsulaMALDI-TOF-MSMicrofluidic chip electrophoresisVenom variationJournal Article

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Margareta Lakušić, Costanza Piccoli, Marko Anđelković, Kostadin Andonov, Ivona Burić, José Carlos Brito, Angel Dyugmedzhiev, Saudin Merdan, Lennart Schmid, Elias Tzoras, Benjamin Florian-Hempel, Fernando Martínez-Freiría. 2026-08-07. First insights into the role of evolutionary history in shaping venom composition of Vipera ammodytes.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2026.109256

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