[holykaw.alltop.com] Candy-coated frogs carry deadly kick

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Candy-coated frogs carry deadly kick

Posted by  Discovery News to Holy Kaw!

The skin of Madagascar poison frogs contains the sugar sucrose -- the first known case of sucrose produced by an animal, and not a plant. The sweetness comes with a deadly kick, though, since these frogs also contain poisons in their skin, hence their name and bright coloration that helps to warn off potential predators.

Herpetologist Valerie Clark of Queen's University in Belfast and her team made the discovery while analyzing the chemical secretions of Madagascar poison frogs (Mantella) and certain Neotropical poison frogs (Epipedobates, Dendrobates).

Full story at Discovery News.

More news from Discovery Communications.

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