Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin that was first identified in pufferfish but has since
been isolated from an array of taxa that host TTX-producing bacteria. However, determining …

Toxin evolution in animals is one of the most fascinating and complex subjects of scientific
inquiry today. Gaining an understanding of toxins poses a multifaceted challenge given the …

Classical research on animal toxicity has focused on the role of toxins in protection against
predators, but recent studies suggest these same compounds can offer a powerful defense …

Behaviours that influence habitat selection strongly determine species movement patterns.
One component of animal behaviour that largely influences movement patterns and habitat …

Invasive species threaten biodiversity globally. Amphibians are one of the most threatened
vertebrate taxa and are particularly sensitive to invasive species, including other …

The dermal glands of many amphibian species secrete toxins or other noxious substances
as a defense strategy against natural enemies. Newts in particular possess the potent …

Background Biodiversity is generally reduced when non-native species invade an
ecosystem. Invasive crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, populate California freshwater streams …

Sexually dimorphic phenotypes are consequential to animal survival, and this is especially
apparent with defense phenotypes. Amphibians have poison glands, and several lineages …

Invasive species are well documented to impact native species where they are introduced.
In the Santa Monica Mountains, a native species of amphibian, the California newt (Taricha …

Animals that frequently encounter toxins often develop mechanisms of toxin resistance over
evolutionary time. Both predators that consume toxic prey and organisms in physical contact …