Natural cururu toad (Rhinella sp.) poisoning in a free-ranging lesser grison (Galictis cuja): Outcomes in a new susceptible predator with a novel peptide description

Cururu toad (Rhinella marina group) is widely distributed in Brazil. Lesser grison (Galitic cuja) is a South American mustelid. This is the first report of natural poisoning in a free-ranging lesser grison by Rhinella toad parotoid gland secretion (PGS). Five minutes after biting a toad, the lesser grison developed convulsion, dying within 1.5 h. Mass spectrometry analysis of a milky-whitish secretion found in the lesser grison oral cavity allowed identification of a bufotoxin and a new bufonid peptide. •A free-ranging lesser grison had a lethal poisoning after an attempted predation on Rhinella sp.•The lesser grison (Galitic cuja) exposed to the cururu toad poison developed lethal neurologic signs.•A bufotoxin was detected in the toad secretion collected from the oral cavity of the affected lesser grison.•A novel bufonid peptide was discovered in the toad secretion collected from the oral cavity of the affected lesser grison.