Passive accumulation of alkaloids in inconspicuously colored frogs refines the evolutionary paradigm of acquired chemical defenses
R. D. Tarvin, J. L. Coleman, D. A. Donoso, M. Betancourth-Cundar, K. Lopez-Hervas, K. S. Gleason, J. R. Sanders, J. M. Smith, S. R. Ron, J. C. Santos, B. E. Sedio, D. C. Cannatella, R. Fitch
This study shows that undefended poison frogs accumulate low levels of alkaloids from their diet, suggesting passive accumulation as an intermediate step in the evolution of chemical defenses.
bioRxiv · May 13, 2024Evolutionary Biology