6 December 2008

'The Evolution of Poisonous Birds'

Batrachotoxins are extremely potent cardio- and neurotoxic steroidal alkaloids found in South American poison dart frogs and Melyridae beetles -- and remarkably, in the skin and feathers of five of the six pitohui species of New Guinea. Astonishingly, another avian species, Ifrita kowaldi, was later discovered to have batrachotoxins in its plumage, too.
-- Grrlscientist

A world that containts giant spherical bunnies and poisonous birds is worth living in, says Coturnix.

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