News Animals

Mysterious neurotoxin may help flatworms kill prey

Tetrodotoxin, the deadly chemical in pufferfish, makes first appearance in land invertebrate

TOXIC ASSETS  Two terrestrial flatworms, Bipalium adventitium and Bipalium kewense (shown), may carry a deadly chemical called tetrodotoxin, which could help the invertebrates stun their earthworm prey.

gailhampshire/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

By Beth Mole

An infamous neurotoxin may be the secret weapon of goo-slurping flatworms. Tetrodotoxin, the deadly chemical that makes pufferfish a risky meal, has perplexed researchers for years. The poison shows up in a variety of organisms — many aquatic — but scientists haven’t unraveled which creatures make it or how.