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Author Topic:   Is evolution of mammals finished?
Cthulhu
Member (Idle past 5842 days)
Posts: 273
From: Roe Dyelin
Joined: 09-09-2003


Message 206 of 213 (397768)
04-27-2007 4:48 PM
Reply to: Message 204 by MartinV
04-22-2007 1:20 PM


Re: Most poisonous mushrooms
quote:
According darwinism if something is poisonous it should tend to show it up using bright coloration.
Nope. What would be predicted is that organisms that use toxicity as a passive defence and cannot survive having part of the body ingested are likely to evolve strategies to warn that they are toxic. Toxicity is not much of a survival trait if you die. Now, since mushrooms don't die if they get part of their body eaten, displaying their toxicity is not a survival advantage. If anything, it'd be a slight disadvantage, since producing the pigments requires energy.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 204 by MartinV, posted 04-22-2007 1:20 PM MartinV has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 207 by MartinV, posted 04-27-2007 5:10 PM Cthulhu has replied

Cthulhu
Member (Idle past 5842 days)
Posts: 273
From: Roe Dyelin
Joined: 09-09-2003


Message 208 of 213 (397774)
04-27-2007 5:22 PM
Reply to: Message 207 by MartinV
04-27-2007 5:10 PM


Re: Most poisonous mushrooms
quote:
Are you sure that only PART of body of mushroom is eaten by wild animals? Maybe they are eaten as whole and all mushrooms under a tree is eaten as well. Anyway there is - as far as I know and as I cited a research in my previous post - not known case of poisoned wild animals due eating mushrooms.
Well, as the fruiting body can be destroyed without killing the mushroom, it doesn't matter. Also, what the hell is that last sentence saying? Is it claiming that no wild animal has ever been killed by a poisonous mushroom? Because that's bullshit.
quote:
One of the most poisonous mushroom Amanita phalloides has its cap mostly green. The color could be - I dare say - in grass and forest perceived as cryptic. Poison take effect after many hours and not instantly. Any darwinstic explanation of "survival advantage"?
Well, the color makes it less likely to be eaten. If it is eaten, the fungus will likely survive. The poison? Well, most things that eat fungi are small, and thus will die far more rapidly than humans, due to the lower amount of toxins that are needed for a lethal dose. It's pretty basic stuff.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 207 by MartinV, posted 04-27-2007 5:10 PM MartinV has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 209 by MartinV, posted 04-27-2007 5:40 PM Cthulhu has replied

Cthulhu
Member (Idle past 5842 days)
Posts: 273
From: Roe Dyelin
Joined: 09-09-2003


Message 212 of 213 (397808)
04-27-2007 7:50 PM
Reply to: Message 209 by MartinV
04-27-2007 5:40 PM


Re: Most poisonous mushrooms
From your link
quote:
Wild animals eat fungi, yet mushroom poisonings in nature are unknown. The opossumDidelphis virginiana readily consumed the toxic mushroomAmanita muscaria, became ill, and then developed an aversion to the fungus. Both the illness and the aversion were due, in part at least, to the toxin muscimol.
So mushroom poisonings in nature are not unknown. Says so right in the next sentence.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 209 by MartinV, posted 04-27-2007 5:40 PM MartinV has not replied

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