The impossible predicament of the death newts (crookedtimber.org)

Article summary

The Rough-Skinned Newt is a highly toxic species native to the Pacific Northwest, with a poison that can kill several adult humans. The newt's toxicity is part of an evolutionary arms race with the common garter snake, which has developed resistance to the newt's poison. The snakes sequester the toxin and use it for their own defense, creating a feedback loop where the newts evolve to be more toxic and the snakes evolve to be more resistant. This arms race has significant costs for both species, including metabolic loads and potential negative effects on the snakes' nervous systems.

Main themes

• evolutionary biology
• species interactions
• toxicity and resistance
• evolutionary costs and benefits
• natural selection
• ecological balance
• biological complexity

What commenters say

• Some commenters argue that the concept of a 'cost' to evolving resistance is not directly observable, but can be inferred from the fact that not all species have evolved resistance to tetrodotoxin.
• Others suggest that the cost of evolving resistance may be too high for some species, making it unlikely for them to develop such a trait.
• There is disagreement about whether the evolution of resistance to tetrodotoxin is a result of luck or a predictable outcome of natural selection.
• Some argue that the article oversimplifies the complexity of evolutionary biology and the interactions between species.
• The idea that evolution is driven by a balance of costs and benefits is seen as overly simplistic by some, who argue that the process is more nuanced and influenced by multiple factors.
• Others propose that the study of evolutionary game theory can provide insights into the dynamics of species interactions and the evolution of traits.
• The commenters also discuss the possibility of testing the costly trait hypothesis by studying the toxicity of newts in areas where garter snakes are absent or rare.