Science. 1992 Oct 30;258(5083):799-801.

Homobatrachotoxin in the genus Pitohui: chemical defense in birds?

Dumbacher JP, Beehler BM, Spande TF, Garraffo HM, Daly JW.

Source

Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, IL 60637.

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.

Comment in

The taste of birds: Pitohui! [Science. 1992]
The taste of birds: Pitohui!Wrangham R. Science. 1992 Dec 18; 258(5090):1867.
Pitohui: how toxic and to whom? [Science. 1993]
Pitohui: how toxic and to whom?Glendinning JI. Science. 1993 Jan 29; 259(5095):582-3.
Smitten by quail. [Science. 1993]
Smitten by quail.Berkowitz DB. Science. 1993 Feb 26; 259(5099):1238-9.
The taste of birds: Pitohui. [Science. 1992]
The taste of birds: Pitohui.Pough FH. Science. 1992 Dec 18; 258(5090):1867.

PMID:: 1439786; [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Publication Types, MeSH Terms, Substances

Publication Types

MeSH Terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Supplemental Content

Save items

Related citations in PubMed

Batrachotoxin alkaloids from passerine birds: a second toxic bird genus (Ifrita kowaldi) from New Guinea. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000]
Batrachotoxin alkaloids from passerine birds: a second toxic bird genus (Ifrita kowaldi) from New Guinea.
Dumbacher JP, Spande TF, Daly JW. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Nov 21; 97(24):12970-5.
Melyrid beetles (Choresine): a putative source for the batrachotoxin alkaloids found in poison-dart frogs and toxic passerine birds. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004]
Melyrid beetles (Choresine): a putative source for the batrachotoxin alkaloids found in poison-dart frogs and toxic passerine birds.
Dumbacher JP, Wako A, Derrickson SR, Samuelson A, Spande TF, Daly JW. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Nov 9; 101(45):15857-60. Epub 2004 Nov 1.
Polyphyletic origin of toxic Pitohui birds suggests widespread occurrence of toxicity in corvoid birds. [Biol Lett. 2008]
Polyphyletic origin of toxic Pitohui birds suggests widespread occurrence of toxicity in corvoid birds.
Jønsson KA, Bowie RC, Norman JA, Christidis L, Fjeldså J. Biol Lett. 2008 Feb 23; 4(1):71-4.
Review Further classification of skin alkaloids from neotropical poison frogs (Dendrobatidae), with a general survey of toxic/noxious substances in the amphibia. [Toxicon. 1987]
Review Further classification of skin alkaloids from neotropical poison frogs (Dendrobatidae), with a general survey of toxic/noxious substances in the amphibia.
Daly JW, Myers CW, Whittaker N. Toxicon. 1987; 25(10):1023-95.
Review Batrachotoxin, an extremely active cardio- and neurotoxin from the Colombian arrow poison frog Phyllobates aurotaenia. [Clin Toxicol. 1971]
Review Batrachotoxin, an extremely active cardio- and neurotoxin from the Colombian arrow poison frog Phyllobates aurotaenia.
Daly J, Witkop B. Clin Toxicol. 1971 Sep; 4(3):331-42.

See reviews... See all...

Cited by 15 PubMed Central articles

Sequestered defensive toxins in tetrapod vertebrates: principles, patterns, and prospects for future studies. [Chemoecology. 2012]
Sequestered defensive toxins in tetrapod vertebrates: principles, patterns, and prospects for future studies.
Savitzky AH, Mori A, Hutchinson DA, Saporito RA, Burghardt GM, Lillywhite HB, Meinwald J. Chemoecology. 2012 Sep; 22(3):141-158. Epub 2012 Aug 4.
Asymmetric synthesis of dihydroindanes by convergent alkoxide-directed metallacycle-mediated bond formation. [J Am Chem Soc. 2012]
Asymmetric synthesis of dihydroindanes by convergent alkoxide-directed metallacycle-mediated bond formation.
Greszler SN, Reichard HA, Micalizio GC. J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Feb 8; 134(5):2766-74. Epub 2012 Jan 31.
Sex-related differences in alkaloid chemical defenses of the dendrobatid frog Oophaga pumilio from Cayo Nancy, Bocas del Toro, Panama. [J Nat Prod. 2010]
Sex-related differences in alkaloid chemical defenses of the dendrobatid frog Oophaga pumilio from Cayo Nancy, Bocas del Toro, Panama.
Saporito RA, Donnelly MA, Madden AA, Garraffo HM, Spande TF. J Nat Prod. 2010 Mar 26; 73(3):317-21.

See all...

Related information

Related Citations
Calculated set of PubMed citations closely related to the selected article(s) retrieved using a word weight algorithm. Related articles are displayed in ranked order from most to least relevant, with the “linked from” citation displayed first.
Compound (MeSH Keyword)
PubChem chemical compound records that are classified under the same Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) controlled vocabulary as the current articles.
Substance (MeSH Keyword)
PubChem chemical substance (submitted) records that are classified under the same Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) controlled vocabulary as the current articles.
Cited in PMC
Full-text articles in the PubMed Central Database that cite the current articles.

Recent activity

Clear Turn Off Turn On

Homobatrachotoxin in the genus Pitohui: chemical defense in birds?
Homobatrachotoxin in the genus Pitohui: chemical defense in birds?
Science. 1992 Oct 30 ;258(5083):799-801.

PubMed

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

PubMed

Result Filters

Display Settings:

Send to: