Homobatrachotoxin in the Genus Pitohui : Chemical Defense in Birds?
- 30 October 1992
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 258 (5083) , 799-801
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1439786
Abstract
Three passerine species in the genus Pitohui, endemic to the New Guinea subregion, contain the steroidal alkaloid homobatrachotoxin, apparently as a chemical defense. Toxin concentrations varied among species but were always highest in the skin and feathers. Homobatrachotoxin is a member of a class of compounds collectively called batrachotoxins that were previously considered to be restricted to neotropical poison-dart frogs of the genus Phyllobates. The occurrence of homobatrachotoxin in pitohuis suggests that birds and frogs independently evolved this class of alkaloids.Keywords
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