Diet and chemical defenses of the Sonoran Desert toad

The Sonoran Desert toad is the only animal known to secrete the psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT as a chemical defense, but its source was unknown. All Sonoran Desert toads secreted high concentrations of 5-MeO-DMT, while other sympatric toads did not. The diet of the Sonoran Desert toad was similar to that of other anurans living in the same area, indicating no dietary specialization. Slight dietary differences existed between toads in native and urban habitats. These findings suggest diet is not directly linked to 5-MeO-DMT production, supporting the hypothesis that the toad synthesizes the compound endogenously or via a microbial symbiont.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The Sonoran Desert toad (Incilius alvarius) is the only animal known to secrete the psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT as a chemical defense, but the source of 5-MeO-DMT in I. alvarius remains unknown. Some amphibians produce chemical defenses endogenously or through symbiotic interactions, while others acquire them from specialized diets. In this study we analyzed toxin gland secretions and diet profiles from wild I. alvarius and sympatric anurans from native and urban habitats around Tucson, Arizona to explore possible links between diet and 5-MeO-DMT production. All I. alvarius secreted high concentrations of 5-MeO-DMT, whereas other sympatric toads did not. The diet of I. alvarius was similar to that of sympatric anurans, indicating that I. alvarius does not exhibit relative dietary specialization. We found slight dietary differences between I. alvarius in native and urbanized habitats. Taken together, these lines of evidence suggest that diet is not directly linked to 5-MeO-DMT production and support the alternative hypotheses that I. alvarius synthesizes 5-MeO-DMT endogenously or via a microbial symbiont.