Washington, August 03 (ANI): Researchers have discovered that African crested rats apply poisonous plant toxin to sponge-like hairs on their flanks to protect themselves from predators.
In the only known instance of a mammal acquiring a lethal toxin from a plant for defence. Jonathan Kingdon and colleagues from the National Museums of Kenya, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and University of Oxford have discovered where the African crested rat (or manned rat) gets its poison: the Acokanthera tree, the same source used by East African hunters for poison arrows.
"The African crested rat is a fascinating example of how a species can evolve a unique set of defences in response to pressure from predators,' said Dr. Tim O'Brien, Senior Scientist of the Wildlife Conservation Society and a co-author on the study.
"The animal and its acquired toxicity is unique among placental mammals," added O'Brien.
Scientists have long suspected that the African crested rat is poisonous, primarily due to the animal's specialized behaviour, such as exposing a black-and-white coloration on its flanks when threatened by predators, and accounts of dogs becoming ill or dying after encounters with rats.
The new discovery concerns the nature of the chemical defence. Instead of producing poison itself-as is the case with poisonous mammals such as the duck-billed platypus and solenodon-the African crested rat finds its toxin (called ouabain) in tree bark.
The researchers confirmed the hypothesis by presenting a wild-caught rat with branches and roots of the Acokanthera tree. The rodent proceeded to gnaw and masticate the bark (avoiding the leaves and fruit) and apply the "slaver" on its flanks.
The study has been published in the Proceedings of The Royal Society B. (ANI)
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