ABSTRACT
For animals, feeding behavior is the most important processes involved in the uptake of energy. In order to survive the animal must select nutrients and avoid toxins (Darwin, 1859/1985; Garcia, Rusiniak, Kiefer & Bermúdez-Rattoni, 1982). The ability for animals to recognize through odor and taste toxic components of plants, have produced influences in the evolution of both herbivorous and plants (Chapman & Blaney, 1979). A wide variety of animals to associate flavor with toxic effects apparently as a result of the coevolution of protective mechanisms on the host species and corresponding discrimination habits in feeding species (Garcia, Rusiniak & Brett, 1977). The same mechanism works to increase consumption as well. Many nutrients taste sweet and most feeders naturally prefer sweets. Many plants have taken advantage of this by evolving the dispersal mechanism of enclosing their indigestible seed in the sweet fruit; the feeder consumes the sweet fruits, absorbs the nutrient, but passes the seed far from the plant that bore it.
