Chytridiomycosis, the emerging disease caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is responsible for declines and extirpations of amphibian populations worldwide. Environmental covariates modify the host-Bd interaction and thus affect the ongoing spread of the pathogen. One such covariate may be the intensity of ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation. In a field experiment conducted in Laguna Grande de Peñalara (central Spain), a mountainous region where the presence of Bd has been documented since 1997, we analyzed the potential effect of environmental UV-B (daily maximum 2.5–3.9 W/m2) on the susceptibility of larvae of the common toad (Bufo bufo) to Bd. The proportion of infected individuals increased as tadpoles developed. The prevalence of Bd was significantly lower in tadpoles exposed to environmental UV-B intensities (2.94%) than in tadpoles not exposed to the radiation (9.72%). This finding mirrors that seen for a second amphibian species, the European midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans), for which conditional prevalence (i.e., prevalence of infection conditioned on the probability of a site being infected) across the Iberian Peninsula was inversely correlated with the intensity of UV-B. Leer más.
Approximately 115 species of amphibians live in the Mediterranean region, and the level of endemism is very high as the majority (64%) are found nowhere else in the world. Leer más.
En un continuo esfuerzo por mejorar esta web, Anfibios y Reptiles de Marruecos y Sahara Occidental disfruta desde ahora de integración con Google Maps y ofrece mapas de distribución de las especies basados en los datos de la IUCN Red List. Leer más.
When I started working on this frog blog post (inspired by the adorable yet deadly poison dart frogs at the National Zoo), my knowledge of frogs was limited to Mr. Toad from The Wind in the Willows and Kermit. Obviously, I had a lot to learn. I have since discovered many amazing, surprising, disgusting and flat-out weird facts about frogs, and have collected the 14 best to share here with you. Leer más.
The Chacoan horned frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli) looks like it is more mouth than frog. Such a large mouth on such a little frog earned it the nickname Pacman frog, from the popular video game. The Chacoan horned frog’s oversized mouth conceals something a little more treacherous—teeth. Leer más.
