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Poison Arrow Frog - Sciences, Education, Art, Writing, UFO - Posted: 6th Aug, 2006 - 3:39am
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Post Date: 4th Aug, 2006 - 2:46pm / Post ID: #
Poison Arrow Frog
Poison Arrow Frog
Why would the Poison Arrow Frog have enough poison to kill 2,200 people, is it under attack?
Poison Arrow Frog (Hover)
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Post Date: 6th Aug, 2006 - 3:39am / Post ID: #
Frog Arrow Poison
The poison arrow frog is a live lesson in evolution. Its toxins are derived from its diet. Thus its amount of toxin is related to the amount of bugs in its diet.
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Where do the toxins come from and what do they do? By and large the toxins secreted by the Dendrobatid frogs appear to come from their insect diet such a. It has been shown that they soak up the alkaloids through their digestive process, these then are used to produce the toxins and are then storedt in glands just below the surface of the frog's skin. When the frog is threatened, ie a predator (say a snake for example) has taken it in its mouth, the toxin will be triggered and seep out, giving the predator more of a mouthful than it had expected. Usually enhancing the frog's lifespan by being spat out. As a general rule the toxins on the skin of the poison arrow frog are there as a deterrent against predation. If you were to lick one (no need to try just the back  the toxin is secreted all over the frog) it is most likely that you would get the feeling of even more of an upset tummy than you would normally get from licking a live frog. In some cases however, the toxin can kill a predator through paralysis. For example Phyllobates terribilis secretes a toxin called Batrachotoxin. At about 250 times the potency of strychnine, it's certainly a toxin to be reckoned with. |
But if this were true, then having no bugs, the frogs should eventually breed out the toxin.
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This is one of the biggest questions, ie what is genetic and what is from the environment? It has been shown in laboratory studies that poison arrow frogs will readily assimilate alkaloids yet captive borne and raised frogs that were not exposed to alkaloids in their diet, completely lacked the toxins. Further to this, while the toxins on the skin of wild caught frogs can persist for years in some cases, there is a steady decline. Frogs from the genus Phyllobates terribilis that have been kept in captivity for up to six years were still five times more toxic than wild caught representatives of other species used by the natives for poisoning arrows. This shows that some wild caught frogs have to be treated with due respect at all times. However, captive bred progeny completely lack the toxins. |
Very interesting information. Here is the site with much more information.
https://www.kingsnake.com/toxinology/amphib...neurotoxin.html
TOPIC: Poison Arrow Frog