Ecological Chemistry and the Palatability Spectrum

1968/09/27 by Lincoln P. Brower, William N. Ryerson, Lorna Coppinger +1 · 3 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Chemistry · #Plant and animal studies #Palatability #Predation #Glycoside #Biology #Bioassay #Broad spectrum #Cardiac glycoside #Ecology #Zoology #Toxicology #Botany #Food science #Chemistry

paper · doi:10.1126/science.161.3848.1349

openalex publication_date 1968/09/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

A new bioassay for comparing the palatability to avian predators of monarch butterflies reared on various asclepiadaceous food plants containing cardiac glycosides indicates a palatability spectrum. The monarchs reared on one plant species are six times as emetic as those fed another, while those raised on an asclepiad which lacks cardiac glycosides are not emetic at all.

Citations

• Defensive Secretions of Arthropods

Cited by

• Diversity in warning coloration: selective paradox or the norm?
• Butterfly effects in mimicry? Combining signal and taste can twist the relationship of Müllerian co-mimics
• Müllerian mimicry [wikipedia]