Shedding Light on the Dentition and Venom Delivery System of the Rear-Fanged Snake, <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Tachymenini) from Chile
Although the rear-fanged snake <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (formerly named <i>Tachymenis ch. chilensis</i>) causes ophidian accidents with clinical importance in Chile, the anatomical and histological characterizations of the venom delivery system (venom gland and f...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/12/1788 |
| _version_ | 1797461365666873344 |
|---|---|
| author | Yarela Herrera Sebastián Fuentes-Retamal Ulrike Kemmerling María Elisa Peichoto Juan Carlos Ortiz Félix A. Urra |
| author_facet | Yarela Herrera Sebastián Fuentes-Retamal Ulrike Kemmerling María Elisa Peichoto Juan Carlos Ortiz Félix A. Urra |
| author_sort | Yarela Herrera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although the rear-fanged snake <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (formerly named <i>Tachymenis ch. chilensis</i>) causes ophidian accidents with clinical importance in Chile, the anatomical and histological characterizations of the venom delivery system (venom gland and fang) of this species still remain unknown. This study describes the dentition and characteristics of fangs and their ontogenetic variations in <i>G. ch. chilensis</i>. Moreover, histological and histochemistry analyses of the venom glands of this species are presented. Using micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy, the dentitions of neonates, juveniles, and adults were analyzed, and no ontogenetic variations in teeth length and number present in the dentary and maxilla were observed. Moreover, we found three types of basic teeth, with distributional patterns conserved in all ontogenetic categories. The fangs exhibited a groove from the base to the middle. At the end of the groove, prominent ridges are formed. The fang and groove lengths were significantly distinct between ontogenetic categories. No differences between females and males were observed. Histologically, we found that the venom gland is close to the fangs and has a seromucous composition. Our results describe, for the first time, the distributional pattern and characteristics of the dentition and venom delivery system of the poorly studied snake <i>G. ch. chilensis</i>. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:18:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-945e9662cee5465cad3a8a00a9b454ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:18:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-945e9662cee5465cad3a8a00a9b454ad2023-11-24T13:23:30ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-12-011112178810.3390/biology11121788Shedding Light on the Dentition and Venom Delivery System of the Rear-Fanged Snake, <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Tachymenini) from ChileYarela Herrera0Sebastián Fuentes-Retamal1Ulrike Kemmerling2María Elisa Peichoto3Juan Carlos Ortiz4Félix A. Urra5Metabolic Plasticity and Bioenergetics Laboratory, Program of Clinical and Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380453, ChileMetabolic Plasticity and Bioenergetics Laboratory, Program of Clinical and Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380453, ChileProgram of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380453, ChileNational Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), National Institute of Tropical Medicine—National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS “Dr. Carlos G Malbrán”), Puerto Iguazú 9C59+8V, Misiones, ArgentinaDepartment of Zoology, Faculty of Natural and Oceanographic Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepción 4070032, ChileMetabolic Plasticity and Bioenergetics Laboratory, Program of Clinical and Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380453, ChileAlthough the rear-fanged snake <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (formerly named <i>Tachymenis ch. chilensis</i>) causes ophidian accidents with clinical importance in Chile, the anatomical and histological characterizations of the venom delivery system (venom gland and fang) of this species still remain unknown. This study describes the dentition and characteristics of fangs and their ontogenetic variations in <i>G. ch. chilensis</i>. Moreover, histological and histochemistry analyses of the venom glands of this species are presented. Using micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy, the dentitions of neonates, juveniles, and adults were analyzed, and no ontogenetic variations in teeth length and number present in the dentary and maxilla were observed. Moreover, we found three types of basic teeth, with distributional patterns conserved in all ontogenetic categories. The fangs exhibited a groove from the base to the middle. At the end of the groove, prominent ridges are formed. The fang and groove lengths were significantly distinct between ontogenetic categories. No differences between females and males were observed. Histologically, we found that the venom gland is close to the fangs and has a seromucous composition. Our results describe, for the first time, the distributional pattern and characteristics of the dentition and venom delivery system of the poorly studied snake <i>G. ch. chilensis</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/12/1788rear-fanged snakescolubridDuvernoy’s glandopistoglyph<i>Tachymenis</i>ontogenetic variations |
| spellingShingle | Yarela Herrera Sebastián Fuentes-Retamal Ulrike Kemmerling María Elisa Peichoto Juan Carlos Ortiz Félix A. Urra Shedding Light on the Dentition and Venom Delivery System of the Rear-Fanged Snake, <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Tachymenini) from Chile Biology rear-fanged snakes colubrid Duvernoy’s gland opistoglyph <i>Tachymenis</i> ontogenetic variations |
| title | Shedding Light on the Dentition and Venom Delivery System of the Rear-Fanged Snake, <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Tachymenini) from Chile |
| title_full | Shedding Light on the Dentition and Venom Delivery System of the Rear-Fanged Snake, <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Tachymenini) from Chile |
| title_fullStr | Shedding Light on the Dentition and Venom Delivery System of the Rear-Fanged Snake, <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Tachymenini) from Chile |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shedding Light on the Dentition and Venom Delivery System of the Rear-Fanged Snake, <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Tachymenini) from Chile |
| title_short | Shedding Light on the Dentition and Venom Delivery System of the Rear-Fanged Snake, <i>Galvarinus chilensis chilensis</i> (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Tachymenini) from Chile |
| title_sort | shedding light on the dentition and venom delivery system of the rear fanged snake i galvarinus chilensis chilensis i serpentes dipsadidae tachymenini from chile |
| topic | rear-fanged snakes colubrid Duvernoy’s gland opistoglyph <i>Tachymenis</i> ontogenetic variations |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/12/1788 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yarelaherrera sheddinglightonthedentitionandvenomdeliverysystemoftherearfangedsnakeigalvarinuschilensischilensisiserpentesdipsadidaetachymeninifromchile AT sebastianfuentesretamal sheddinglightonthedentitionandvenomdeliverysystemoftherearfangedsnakeigalvarinuschilensischilensisiserpentesdipsadidaetachymeninifromchile AT ulrikekemmerling sheddinglightonthedentitionandvenomdeliverysystemoftherearfangedsnakeigalvarinuschilensischilensisiserpentesdipsadidaetachymeninifromchile AT mariaelisapeichoto sheddinglightonthedentitionandvenomdeliverysystemoftherearfangedsnakeigalvarinuschilensischilensisiserpentesdipsadidaetachymeninifromchile AT juancarlosortiz sheddinglightonthedentitionandvenomdeliverysystemoftherearfangedsnakeigalvarinuschilensischilensisiserpentesdipsadidaetachymeninifromchile AT felixaurra sheddinglightonthedentitionandvenomdeliverysystemoftherearfangedsnakeigalvarinuschilensischilensisiserpentesdipsadidaetachymeninifromchile |