Great Horned Owl death from predation of a toxic California newt

Authors
Mobley, JA Stidham, TA
Citation
Ja. Mobley et Ta. Stidham, Great Horned Owl death from predation of a toxic California newt, WILSON B, 112(4), 2000, pp. 563-564
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences
Journal title
WILSON BULLETIN
ISSN journal
00435643 → ACNP
Volume
112
Issue
4
Year of publication
2000
Pages
563 - 564
Database
ISI
SICI code
0043-5643(200012)112:4<563:GHODFP>2.0.ZU;2-8
Abstract
We report the first records of the ingestion of a toxic California newt (Ta richa torosa) and a particular species of Jerusalem cricket (Stenopelmatus fuscus) by a Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). This is one of only a few records of avian predation on this genus of toxic newt. Ingestion of the e xtremely poisonous tetrodotoxin present in the newt's skin was likely the c ause of the owl's death.