Article
Microbiology
Kieran A. Bates, Ulf Sommer, Kevin P. Hopkins, Jennifer M. G. Shelton, Claudia Wierzbicki, Christopher Sergeant, Benjamin Tapley, Christopher J. Michaels, Dirk S. Schmeller, Adeline Loyau, Jaime Bosch, Mark R. Viant, Xavier A. Harrison, Trenton W. J. Garner, Matthew C. Fisher
Summary: The skin microbial community structure of amphibians is linked to the clinical outcome of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (8d) infections. This study used multi-omics analyses in laboratory and field settings to demonstrate that 8d infection alters microbiome taxonomic and functional profiles.
Article
Biology
Chloe Ramsay, Jason R. Rohr
Summary: Immunity changes through ontogeny and can mediate interactions between co-infecting parasites. Host immunity development alters the host responses to parasite exposures across different life stages. A study conducted on Cuban treefrogs exposed to fungus (Bd) and nematodes (A. hamatospicula) at different life stages found ontogenetic differences in immunity, but no evidence of increased immunosuppression in metamorphic frogs. There was also little evidence of facilitative interactions between the parasites, but Bd infection decreased immunity in metamorphic frogs, making them more susceptible to infection.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Leni Lammens, An Martel, Frank Pasmans
Summary: Research shows that peracetic acid (PAA) can effectively kill the highly virulent Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), helping to mitigate the spread of Chytridiomycosis disease and having no obvious adverse effects on tadpoles. However, the use of PAA can lead to a decrease in pH and dissolved oxygen in water, which needs to be addressed through aeration.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Noah Wax, Jenifer B. Walke, David C. Haak, Lisa K. Belden
Summary: This study sequenced the whole genomes of bacterial isolates from amphibian skin in the Eastern US and tested their ability to inhibit the growth of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The results revealed differences in gene families and biosynthetic gene clusters among the isolates, suggesting potential mechanisms for inhibiting Bd growth. Further research is needed to explore and verify these hypotheses.
Article
Microbiology
Myra C. Hughey, Eria A. Rebollar, Reid N. Harris, Roberto Ibanez, Stephen C. Loftus, Leanna L. House, Kevin P. C. Minbiole, Molly C. Bletz, Daniel Medina, William R. Shoemaker, Meredith C. Swartwout, Lisa K. Belden
Summary: The variation in host-associated microbial communities is correlated with disease occurrence and severity in different host species, suggesting the important role of the microbiome in pathogen defense. This study investigates the relationship between microbial communities and infection dynamics in amphibians, showing that the microbiome can mediate or be altered by pathogen exposure.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
K. A. Bates, J. Friesen, A. Loyau, H. Butler, V. T. Vredenburg, J. Laufer, A. Chatzinotas, D. S. Schmeller
Summary: The study investigated how the skin microbiome of wild Dhofar toads in Oman is influenced by host environment, pathogen presence, and host biology. The results showed that skin microbiome diversity is mainly influenced by host life stage, water source, and habitat disturbance. The network analysis revealed high site specificity in bacterial co-occurrence patterns.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chloe Ramsay, Jason R. Rohr
Summary: This study investigated the dynamics of within-host coinfection and found that parasite density and identity have significant effects on these dynamics. The interactions between coinfecting parasites were found to be highly asymmetric, and exposure dose of one parasite was associated with host tolerance to another parasite's infection and the load of a third parasite.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Toxicology
Janos Ujszegi, Kinga Molnar, Attila Hettyey
Summary: The study tested the effects of three disinfectants on embryos of two amphibian species, with results showing that voriconazole and chlorogen-sesquihydrate had negative impacts on survival and body mass, while chloramphenicol had little effect on embryos or larvae.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rawien Jairam, Akira Harris, Christian A. D'Orgeix
Summary: The study found that Suriname is one of the only countries in South America where amphibians have not been infected with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Further research showed that none of the frogs sampled were positive for the fungus, providing baseline data for future comparative studies.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hector Zumbado-Ulate, Kelsey Neam, Adrian Garcia-Rodriguez, Leticia Ochoa-Ochoa, Gerardo Chaves, Jonathan E. Kolby, Sofia Granados-Martinez, Andreas Hertz, Federico Bolanos, Daniel Ariano-Sanchez, Robert Puschendorf, Catherine L. Searle
Summary: Understanding the threats to wildlife across space and time is essential. A study in Mesoamerica found that the destruction of habitats and the spread of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis were the main drivers of decline in amphibian species.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrea Costa, Lorenzo Dondero, Giorgia Allaria, Bryan Nelson Morales Sanchez, Giacomo Rosa, Sebastiano Salvidio, Elena Grasselli
Summary: The emerging amphibian disease, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is causing declines in amphibian populations worldwide, with Italy lacking in relevant assessments. By conducting molecular screenings and climate modeling, this study identified the diffusion pathways and suitable habitats of Bd in Italy, pinpointing six national protected areas crucial for monitoring and mitigating the spread of Bd.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Ciara N. Sheets, Deena R. Schmidt, Paul J. Hurtado, Allison Q. Byrne, Erica Bree Rosenblum, Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki, Jamie Voyles
Summary: Emerging infectious diseases have led to the loss of amphibian diversity, with factors like temperature affecting pathogen virulence. Research suggests that while different isolates of Bd have similar thermal optimum values, there are variations in maximum viability and zoospore densities among them. This highlights the importance of measuring multiple traits to understand how environmental factors impact pathogen responses.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Koichi Goka, Jun Yokoyama, Atsushi Tominaga
Summary: Research on the frog chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has made little progress in Japan since around 2010, but it was pointed out in 2009 that the origin of Bd may be in the East Asian region, including Japan. Many native amphibian species in Japan show resistance to Bd infection.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Joelma S. Prado, Julia R. Ernetti, Mariana Retuci Pontes, L. Felipe Toledo
Summary: This research provides evidence that fog water may serve as a pathway for the transmission of the amphibian-killing fungus Bd. The study shows the passive transport of live Bd zoospores through artificial fog can infect susceptible hosts and lead to lethal chytridiomycosis. These findings are important for understanding the exposure mechanisms of direct-developing amphibians to aquatic pathogens and can aid in the development of control measures.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hector Zumbado-Ulate, Catherine L. Searle, Gerardo Chaves, Victor Acosta-Chaves, Alex Shepack, Stanley Salazar, Adrian Garcia-Rodriguez
Summary: This study updated the status of Costa Rican treefrogs, revealing that nearly 40% of species are threatened and about 20% are at high risk of extinction. By predicting historical climatic suitability, the researchers assessed species recovery and habitat range expansion.
Article
Zoology
Tom A. Langen, Charles H. Cannon, David C. Blackburn, Eric L. Morgan, Paola E. Mera
Summary: Studying urban organisms and biotic communities can lead to the discovery of new rules for organisms' structure, function, interaction, and evolution, which can then be applied to design more biologically diverse, ecosystem-rich, equitable, and healthy cities. Research on urban biome not only guides urban design, but also engages wide and diverse communities to have a positive impact.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Colin M. Goodman, Gregory F. M. Jongsma, Jeffrey E. Hill, Edward L. Stanley, Quenton M. Tuckett, David C. Blackburn, Christina M. Romagosa
Summary: Nonnative species play a significant role in global change, impacting biodiversity and society's economy. Accurate predictions and taxonomic validation are crucial for effective invasion management. A study in Florida revealed a nonnative frog population initially identified as African Clawed Frog is actually Tropical Clawed Frog. This discovery highlights the importance of understanding the biology and spread of target species for successful management.
JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carla Bardua, Anne-Claire Fabre, Julien Clavel, Margot Bon, Kalpana Das, Edward L. Stanley, David C. Blackburn, Anjali Goswami
Summary: The study reveals that skull morphology in frogs is mainly influenced by factors such as skull size, microhabitat, and developmental stages, with late-ossifying elements evolving at the fastest rates. Different microhabitat types occupy distinct regions in morphospace, displaying rapid evolution and high disparity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kyle E. Jaynes, Edward A. Myers, Vaclav Gvozdik, David C. Blackburn, Daniel M. Portik, Eli Greenbaum, Gregory F. M. Jongsma, Mark-Oliver Rodel, Gabriel Badjedjea, Abraham Bamba-Kaya, Ninda L. Baptista, Jeannot B. Akuboy, Raffael Ernst, Marcel T. Kouete, Chifundera Kusamba, Franck M. Masudi, Patrick J. McLaughlin, Lotanna M. Nneji, Abiodun B. Onadeko, Johannes Penner, Pedro Vaz Pinto, Bryan L. Stuart, Elie Tobi, Ange-Ghislain Zassi-Boulou, Adam D. Leache, Matthew K. Fujita, Rayna C. Bell
Summary: Secondary sympatry amongst sister lineages is closely associated with genetic and ecological divergence, suggesting that closely related species require differences in ecological and/or reproductive isolation traits to coexist in secondary sympatry. In this study, three giant tree frog species showed species-level divergence coinciding with a period of large-scale forest fragmentation during the late Pliocene. Environmental niche models revealed that the three species occupy distinct environmental niches and display modest morphological differentiation, particularly in tympanum diameter and male advertisement call. Additionally, climatic refugia, precipitation gradients, marine incursions, and potentially riverine barriers have generated phylogeographic structure at the intraspecific level throughout the Pleistocene and Holocene.
Article
Ecology
Daniel J. Paluh, Wesley A. Dillard, Edward L. Stanley, Gareth J. Fraser, David C. Blackburn
Summary: Researchers have confirmed that the frog species G. guentheri possesses true mandibular teeth, which are almost identical to the upper jaw teeth in closely related species. This suggests that an ancestral odontogenic pathway has been conserved but suppressed in the lower jaw since the origin of frogs, potentially explaining the re-evolution of lost mandibular teeth.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maggie M. Hantak, Nicholas A. Federico, David C. Blackburn, Robert P. Guralnick
Summary: This study demonstrates that color morph frequency and body size of Eastern Red-backed Salamander vary in response to climate, elevation, and over time. The striped morph shows higher frequency and decreased body size, while the unstriped morph has increased size.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roland A. Knapp, Maxwell B. Joseph, Thomas C. Smith, Ericka E. Hegeman, Vance T. Vredenburg, James E. Erdman, Daniel M. Boiano, Andrea J. Jani, Cheryl J. Briggs
Summary: In this study, antifungal treatment experiments were conducted in wild populations of the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog. The results showed that early life stages had a weaker immune response against the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) compared to adults. Although the antifungal treatment reduced Bd load and increased frog survival, it did not lead to long-term changes in frog-Bd dynamics and population persistence.
Article
Biology
Sinlan Poo, Steven M. Whitfield, Alexander Shepack, Gregory J. Watkins-Colwell, Gil Nelson, Jillian Goodwin, Allison Bogisich, Patricia L. R. Brennan, Jennifer D'Agostino, Michelle S. Koo, Joseph R. Mendelson, Rebecca Snyder, Sandra Wilson, Gary P. Aronsen, Andrew C. Bentley, David C. Blackburn, Matthew R. Borths, Mariel L. Campbell, Dalia A. Conde, Joseph A. Cook, Juan D. Daza, Daniel P. Dembiec, Jonathan L. Dunnum, Catherine M. Early, Adam W. Ferguson, Amanda Greene, Robert Guralnick, Courtney Janney, Debbie Johnson, Felicia Knightly, Stephane Poulin, Luiz Rocha, Pamela S. Soltis, Barbara Thiers, Prosanta Chakrabarty
Summary: Zoos and natural history museums are collections-based institutions that play important roles in biodiversity research and education. Despite their overlapping missions, formal partnerships between these institutions are rare. By strengthening the dialogue between zoos and museums, a more comprehensive research dataset could be achieved.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Rachel Keeffe, David C. Blackburn
Summary: This study examines the functional consequences of limb bone fusion in frogs, specifically focusing on the radioulna in anurans. By using finite element modeling methods, the researchers find that semi-fused radioulna exhibit lower stress and better resistance to bending compared to unfused or completely fused models. The results suggest that radioulna morphology is optimized to minimize stress and volume. Additionally, this study highlights unique features and variations in anuran radioulnae.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Richard L. Essner, Ruda E. E. Pereira, David C. Blackburn, Amber L. Singh, Edward L. Stanley, Mauricio O. Moura, Andre E. Confetti, Marcio R. Pie
Summary: Miniaturization has repeatedly occurred in frogs in rainforests, resulting in the world's smallest vertebrates with mysterious features. The vestibular system of miniaturized frogs, such as the pumpkin toadlets in Brazil, is small and lacks sensitivity to angular acceleration, leading to a lack of postural control during jumping.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel M. Portik, Jeffrey W. Streicher, David C. Blackburn, Daniel S. Moen, Carl R. Hutter, John J. Wiens
Summary: The data available for reconstructing molecular phylogenies are highly disparate, with some studies having high genetic marker data for few species, while others have low data availability across many taxa. In this study, the researchers show that it is possible to integrate these two types of data to address relationships among hundreds of species using frog data. By combining phylogenomic and supermatrix datasets, they were able to successfully reconstruct a well-supported tree among families, even with high amounts of missing data.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Frederic Griesbaum, Gregory F. M. Jongsma, Johannes Penner, N'goran Germain Kouame, Joseph Doumbia, Nono L. Gonwouo, Annika Hillers, Julian Glos, David C. Blackburn, Mark-Oliver Roedel
Summary: The distribution of the White-Lipped Frog Amnirana albolabris was found to represent multiple undescribed species. Through a comprehensive taxonomic approach, including molecular, morphological, and acoustic data, a new species was described in the Upper Guinean Forest Zone, while the morphologically similar A. fonensis was redescribed. The two species differ in genetic, morphological, and ecological characteristics, including distribution and habitat preference.
Article
Zoology
Maria Camila Vallejo-Pareja, Edward L. Stanley, Jonathan Bloch, David C. Blackburn
Summary: The establishment of terrestrial vertebrate faunas in North America was influenced by various factors at different geographic scales. A study of anurans from Florida in the Late Oligocene revealed fossils attributed to Eleutherodactylus, providing evidence of their presence in North America before colonizing Central America. This study demonstrates the dispersal of amphibians from the Caribbean into North America during the Late Oligocene.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Biology
R. M. Keeffe, R. W. Blob, D. C. Blackburn, C. J. Mayerl
Summary: This study uses XROMM techniques to track the 3D movements of the tongue, hyoid apparatus, pectoral girdle, skull, and jaw during feeding in cane toads. The findings suggest the importance of the hyoid apparatus in prey manipulation and swallowing, and the greater stretching of the tongue during swallowing compared to prey capture.
INTEGRATIVE ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alfred Lemierre, David C. Blackburn
Summary: Neobatrachia, a clade representing the majority of extant anuran diversity, is believed to have emerged and diversified during the Cretaceous period. The early diversification of Neobatrachians mainly happened in southern Gondwana, including present-day South America and Africa. This study reanalyzed anuran specimens from the Kem Kem beds in Africa and identified a new hyperossified taxon with similarities to the extinct Beelzebufo and the extant Ceratophrys. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the inclusion of this new taxon within Neobatrachia, specifically within the Ceratophryidae clade. This discovery suggests that Neobatrachians were already widespread in southern Gondwana during the earliest Late Cretaceous.
