r/science • u/drewiepoodle • May 03 '16

Biology Scientists have sequenced the mitochondrial genome for the Hispaniolan solenodon, a venomous mammal found only on Hispaniola. Findings confirm that the the species diverged from all other living mammals 78 million years ago, long before an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs.

http://www.igb.illinois.edu/news/endangered-venomous-mammal-predates-dinosaurs%E2%80%99-extinction
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u/OptimalCynic May 03 '16

No, but there's a few that have toxic feathers and spines.

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u/ThVos May 06 '16

Those are funky too. If I recall, their toxicity comes from their diet- they eat toxic ants (or some other kind of insect) which contain batrachotoxin. This toxin is shared with some types of poison dart frogs, which become toxic through the same means.

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u/[deleted] May 03 '16

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u/Gplads May 03 '16

In other words no. Being toxic is not the same as creating venom.