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Aussie Lizards Lick Toad Terror With Evolution

Eating poisonous invasive plants whetted the appetite of eastern Australian blue-tongue lizards for invasive cane toads and prepared the lizards for the plague of toxic toad invaders sweeping across the country.

The plant, mother-of-millions (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), happens to contain a toxin nearly identical to that of the cane toad (Bufo marinus). Richard Shine, a biologist at the University of Sydney, discovered that in areas where the plant has taken root in Australia, local skinks (Tiliqua scincoides) adapted to the deadly delicacy and gained immunity to the toad’s poison as well.

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