October 30 is a great day. Not only is it the day before Halloween, it is also the anniversary of the day of the first report published on the hooded pitohui. (Science 258:799-801, 1992) Hooded what? The hooded pitohui is the only known venomous bird. How awesome is that!
The venom of the pitohui is similar to the poison found in dart frogs. The venom is a neuro toxin that impacts sodium channels. Its effects range from numb lips to being unable to breath and death.
We all know that we never look up at birds flying overhead with our mouths open. Now you have a new problem to think about. Venom!
John W. Daly, the biochemist that was involved in the discovery of many potent natural toxins, published in 2004 that the potential source of this "bird toxin" is actually a beetle these birds dine on: http://www.pnas.org/content/101/45/15857.full.pdf+html
ReplyDeleteDr. Daly died a few years ago from complications of pancreatic cancer.