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Science 3 July 1970:
Vol. 169. no. 3940, pp. 78 - 79
DOI: 10.1126/science.169.3940.78
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Articles

Cardiac Glycosides and Distastefulness: Some Observations on the Palatability Spectrum of Butterflies

S. S. Duffey 1

1 Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, Canada

The monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus sequesters cardiac gylcosides from northern species of Asclepias formerly reported to lack these noxious compounds. Thus, a new explanation must be sought as to why the monarchs reared on these northern asclepiads are palatable to avian predators.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Variation in Cardiac Glycoside Content of Monarch Butterflies from Natural Populations in Eastern North America.
L. P. Brower, P. B. McEvoy, K. L. Williamson, and M. A. Flannery (1972)
Science 177, 426-429
   Abstract »    PDF »
Allelochemics: Chemical Interactions between Species.
R. H. Whittaker and P. P. Feeny (1971)
Science 171, 757-770
   PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)