Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), el hongo “comesalamandras”, podría exterminar varias especies en Estados Unidos, donde se teme que llegue en los próximos años. Los biólogos van a la carrera para averiguar cómo reaccionan las diferentes especies al Bsal en un intento por conocer cómo se podría propagar y dónde mejor dirigir los esfuerzos de la conservación. Leer más.
Known to science since 1857, a common species of frog found from north-eastern Honduras through to central Panama, turns out to have been keeping its ‘multiple identities’ a secret. According to herpetologists who recently used DNA barcoding on the species, showed that what we currently call Warszewitsch’s frog is indeed a group of ‘cryptic’ species. Leer más.
Research scientists have uncovered hidden diversity within a type of frog found only in the Seychelles, showing that those on each island have their own distinct lineage. The family tree of sooglossid frogs dates back at least 63 million years. They are living ancestors of those frogs that survived the meteor strike on earth approximately 66 million years ago, making them a highly evolutionarily distinct group. Leer más.
Scotland supports six species of native amphibian and four native reptile species. These charismatic species form a valuable part of Scotland’s biodiversity and form an important role in effective ecosystem functioning. Most are secretive and often go unnoticed, but are appreciated in the many and diverse habitats where they occur. Common frogs and common toads are perhaps the most well recorded species, being obvious in parks and gardens during spring breeding and migration. Leer más.
Muchos otros microorganismos están presentes, y buena parte de ellos han hecho de la piel de rana su hogar. Unos investigadores del Instituto Smithsonian de Investigaciones Tropicales (STRI) e INDICASAT AIP, en Panamá, han llegado a la conclusión de que algunos de estos residentes invisibles de la piel anfibia podrían estarle haciendo un favor a sus anfitriones, al producir metabolitos que inhiben el crecimiento de hongos y otras bacterias. Leer más.
