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Batrachotoxins (BTX) are extremely potent cardiotoxic and neurotoxic steroidal alkaloids found in certain species of frogs (poison dart frog), Melyridae beetles and birds (Pitohui, Ifrita kowaldi). There are several types of batrachotoxins; batrachotoxin itself has the structure shown on the right. Batrachotoxin comes from the Greek words "batrachos (ß?t?a???)", meaning frog, and "toxine (t?????)", meaning poison. It was named by scientists John Daly and Bernard Witkop, who isolated the pure alkaloid and determined its structure and chemical properties. Its chemical formula is C31H42N2O6. More than 100 toxins have been identified from the skin secretions of members of the Dendrobatidae family of frogs, especially Dendrobates and Phyllobates. Members of the genus Dendrobates (of which there are at least 44 known species) are also known as "poison dart" or "poison arrow" frogs. However, only frogs of the genus Phyllobates produce the super-deadly batrachotoxin.
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