Dr Bálint Üveges

• Professional
  Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 2019–2021
• PhD: Environmental factors shaping the variability of amphibian chemical defences
  Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2012–2019
• PhD
  University of Debrecen, 2008–2011
• MSc: Heritability analysis of the head scalation of Hungarian meadow vipers (Vipera ursinii rakosiensis)
  University of Debrecen, 2003–2008

I am mainly interested in evolutionary ecology of poisonous and venomous animals, and especially in investigating how environmental factors, such as predation pressure drive their evolution. Amphibians and venomous snakes in particular, are especially close to my heart. I received my PhD from the University of Debrecen, Hungary in 2019. As a post-graduate student I have studied phenotypic plasticity of chemical defences in common toads (Bufo bufo) using lab and mesocosm based experiments. Currently, I am working with Dr Wolfgang Wüster on a project, which aims to investigate the relative role of diet and anti-predator defence in the evolution of meadow viper (Vipera ursinii) venoms.

For updates on my research you can follow me on Researchgate and Twitter.  

Integrating the role of diet and defence in the evolution of snake venoms

Venoms constitute a key part of the interface between many animals and their environment, and are used primarily as chemical weapons for antagonistic encounters with prey or predators. The venom of snakes is extremely variable and the reasons for this variation have been the focus of intensive research. Adaptation of venom to diet appears to be a key driver of venom composition in many groups of snakes, however, snakes also use their venoms in self-defence. Although widely acknowledged, there have been few efforts to specifically test for evidence of selection for a defensive function of snake venom.

      A key prediction for a defensive venom is that it should cause rapid, severe pain to repel an attack before the snake is injured. Evolution of such a venom was recently demonstrated in the case of spitting cobras. Also, in a recent survey of pain development after snakebites in humans, there were multiple examples of painful bites from snakes that feed on weakly defended prey and are not generally regarded as highly lethal (e.g. Causus spp., Demansia spp.). This suggests that, at least in some cases, there may be a trade-off between a foraging function, selected to rapidly overpower and immobilise prey, and a defensive function, selected to rapidly deter predatory attacks and allow snake survival. Under this hypothesis, evidence for a defensive role should be most prominent in species that feed on weakly defended prey, and are thus under relaxed selection for rapid prey immobilisation.

      The aim of our project is to test this hypothesis and understand the trade-off between defence and foraging function on the example of European meadow vipers (Vipera ursinii, V. renardi and V. graeca). These small vipers generally specialise on weakly defended arthropods (mainly orthopterans) and are heavily preyed upon by carnivores and predatory birds. This project is funded by the Leverhulme Trust.

2023

• PublishedDoes The Glucocorticoid Stress Response Make Toads More Toxic? An Experimental Study on The Regulation of Bufadienolide Toxin Synthesis
  Üveges, B., Kalina, C., Szabó, K., Móricz, Á. M., Holly, D., Gabor, C. R., Hettyey, A. & Bókony, V., 2023, ???in???: Integrative Organismal Biology. 5, 1, ???pages??? obad021 obad021.
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• SubmittedHigh standing diversity masks extreme genetic erosion in a declining snake
  Pozzi, A., Owens, J. B., Üveges, B., Major, T., Morris, E., Graham, S., Togridou, A., Papadopulos, A. S. T., Wüster, W. & Barlow, A., 21 Sep 2023, (Submitted) ???pages??? 1-28, 28 ???numberOfPages??? (bioRxiv).
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• E-pub ahead of printVoluntary thermal maximum of grassland vipers (Vipera spp.): environmental drivers and local adaptation
  Radovics, D., Sos, T., Mebert, K., Üveges, B., Budai, M., Rák, G., Szabolcs, M., Lengyel, S. & Mizsei, E., 30 Sep 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) ???in???: Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
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2022

• PublishedMetamorphic common toads keep chytrid infection under control, but at a cost
  Kásler, A., Ujszegi, J., Holly, D., Üveges, B., Móricz, Á. M., Herczeg, D. & Hettyey, A., 1 Jul 2022, ???in???: Journal of Zoology. 317, 3, ???pages??? 159-169 10 ???numberOfPages???
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• PublishedNovel genetic sex markers reveal unexpected lack of, and similar susceptibility to, sex reversal in free-living common toads in both natural and anthropogenic habitats
  Nemesházi, E., Sramkó, G., Laczkó, L., Balogh, E., Szatmári, L., Vili, N., Ujhegyi, N., Üveges, B. & Bókony, V., Apr 2022, ???in???: Molecular Ecology. 31, 7, ???pages??? 2032-2043 12 ???numberOfPages???
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2021

• PublishedChemical defence effective against multiple enemies: Does the response to conspecifics alleviate the response to predators?
  Uveges, B., Basson, A. C., Moricz, A. M., Bokony, V. & Hettyey, A., Oct 2021, ???in???: Functional Ecology. 35, 10, ???pages??? 2294-2304
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2020

• PublishedNovel genetic sex markers reveal high frequency of sex reversal in wild populations of the agile frog (Rana dalmatina) associated with anthropogenic land use
  Nemesházi, E., Gál, Z., Ujhegyi, N., Verebélyi, V., Mikó, Z., Üveges, B., Lefler, K. K., Jeffries, D. L., Hoffmann, O. I. & Bókony, V., 1 Oct 2020, ???in???: Molecular Ecology. 29, 19, ???pages??? 3607-3621 15 ???numberOfPages???
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2019

• PublishedChemical defense of toad tadpoles under risk by four predator species
  Üveges, B., Szederkényi, M., Mahr, K., Móricz, Á. M., Krüzselyi, D., Bókony, V., Hoi, H. & Hettyey, A., 1 Jun 2019, ???in???: Ecology and Evolution. 9, 11, ???pages??? 6287-6299 13 ???numberOfPages???
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• PublishedPredator-induced changes in the chemical defence of a vertebrate
  Hettyey, A., Üveges, B., Móricz, Á. M., Drahos, L., Capon, R. J., Van Buskirk, J., Tóth, Z. & Bókony, V., 1 Dec 2019, ???in???: Journal of Animal Ecology. 88, 12, ???pages??? 1925-1935 11 ???numberOfPages???
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• PublishedToads phenotypically adjust their chemical defences to anthropogenic habitat change
  Bókony, V., Üveges, B., Verebélyi, V., Ujhegyi, N. & Móricz, Á. M., 28 Feb 2019, ???in???: Scientific Reports. 9, 1
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2018

• PublishedCompetition induces increased toxin production in toad larvae without allelopathic effects on heterospecific tadpoles
  Bokony, V., Uveges, B., Moricz, A. M. & Hettyey, A., 1 Mar 2018, ???in???: Functional Ecology. 32, 3, ???pages??? 667-675
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• PublishedEndocrine disruptors in breeding ponds and reproductive health of toads in agricultural, urban and natural landscapes
  Bókony, V., Üveges, B., Ujhegyi, N., Verebélyi, V., Nemesházi, E., Csíkvári, O. & Hettyey, A., 1 Sep 2018, ???in???: Science of the Total Environment. 634, ???pages??? 1335-1345 11 ???numberOfPages???
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2017

• PublishedAge- and environment-dependent changes in chemical defences of larval and post-metamorphic toads
  Üveges, B., Fera, G., Móricz, Á. M., Krüzselyi, D., Bókony, V. & Hettyey, A., 13 Jun 2017, ???in???: BMC Evolutionary Biology. 17, 1, ???pages??? 137
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2016

• PublishedExperimental evidence for beneficial effects of projected climate change on hibernating amphibians
  Üveges, B., Mahr, K., Szederkényi, M., Bókony, V., Hoi, H. & Hettyey, A., 27 May 2016, ???in???: Scientific Reports. 6, ???pages??? 26754
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• PublishedSpecies distribution modelling leads to the discovery of new populations of one of the least known European snakes, Vipera ursinii graeca, in Albania
  Mizsei, E., Uveges, B., Vagi, B., Szabolcs, M., Lengyel, S., Pfliegler, W. P., Nagy, Z. T. & Toth, J. P., 17 Feb 2016, ???in???: Amphibia-Reptilia. 37, 1, ???pages??? 55-68
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• PublishedVariation in Chemical Defense Among Natural Populations of Common Toad, Bufo bufo, Tadpoles: the Role of Environmental Factors
  Bókony, V., Móricz, Á. M., Tóth, Z., Gál, Z., Kurali, A., Mikó, Z., Pásztor, K., Szederkényi, M., Tóth, Z., Ujszegi, J., Üveges, B., Krüzselyi, D., Capon, R. J., Hoi, H. & Hettyey, A., 8 Apr 2016, ???in???: Journal of Chemical Ecology. 42, 4, ???pages??? 329-38 10 ???numberOfPages???
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2012

• PublishedCharacteristics and heritability analysis of head scales of the Hungarian meadow viper (Vipera ursinii rakosiensis, Mehely 1893)
  Uveges, B., Halpern, B., Pechy, T., Posta, J. & Komlosi, I., 1 Jan 2012, ???in???: Amphibia-Reptilia. 33, 3-4, ???pages??? 393-400
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• PublishedNovel defensive behaviours of both sexes of Vipera ursinii graeca (Serpentes: Viperidae)
  Mizsei, E. & Uveges, B., 1 Oct 2012, ???in???: Herpetology Notes. 5, ???pages??? 481-483 3 ???numberOfPages???
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