Oribatid Mites Supply Tetrodotoxin to Poisonous Newts

Journal of Natural Products 2026

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Authors: Yuto Nakazawa, Satoshi Shimano, Tadachika Miyasaka, Masaatsu Adachi, Toshio Nishikawa, Kazutoshi Yoshitake, Masafumi Amano, Shigeru Sato, Kentaro Takada
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6c00280
Cited by: 1
References: 62

Abstract

, suggesting that newts and poison frogs have convergently evolved to exploit toxin-bearing microarthropods for chemical defense. We propose a "terrestrial toxic web" hypothesis in which oribatid mites act as a shared environmental reservoir linking putative microbial toxin production to vertebrate chemical defense, highlighting microarthropods as potential key mediators in terrestrial toxin flow.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Marine Toxins and Detection Methods Insect and Pesticide Research Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity

Publication details

Journal / source
Journal of Natural Products
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Volume
89
Issue
7
Pages
2062–2072
Publication date
24 April 2026
Language
EN