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Article History

Received: 21 December 2024

Accepted: 20 February 2025

First Online: 27 March 2025

Declarations

:

: This study focused on the search for materials suitable for the membrane feeding of S. minuta, including the assessment of suitable synthetic materials that could replace animal sources. No laboratory animals were sacrificed specifically for the purpose of this study, and we used either commercially available material, cadavers from private pet owners, or surplus material from other scientific projects that were approved by the relevant ethical authorities. Ram and chicken blood, pig intestine, and chicken cadavers were obtained from commercial sources. Fresh reptile cadavers (used as a source of skin for the membrane) were obtained from a private owner (J. Kadlec). Blood from Eryx colubrinus was provided by L. Kubička from surplus material collected within the project performed with permission MSMT-10803/2016–2 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. A cadaver of Pelophylax ridibundus (used as a source of frog skin) was provided by J. Votýpka as surplus material from the project performed with permission MZP/2020/630/2884 of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic. Duck feet were provided by J. Procházka as surplus material from a project performed under permission MSMT-33741/2022–5 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. All three projects were approved by the Committee on the Ethics of Laboratory Experiments of the Charles University in Prague.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.