7. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

2015 ◽  
pp. 82-96
Author(s):  
Marta L. Wayne ◽  
Benjamin M. Bolker
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Central America ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Emerging Pathogen ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
History Of

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a fungal pathogen that infects many different amphibian species, driving some of them to extinction. ‘Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis’ considers the physiology and natural history of this emerging pathogen; its discovery in the late 1990s in Australia and Central America; and the concepts and strategies used to try to determine its origins. Has it arrived relatively recently in the communities it was destroying, or did it lie dormant in those communities for millennia before suddenly beginning to cause harm? The debate between the novel pathogen hypothesis and the endemic pathogen hypothesis, versions of which apply to most emerging diseases of wildlife, is ongoing.

scholarly journals DEPREDACIÓN DE Saguinus leucopus (MAMMALIA: PRIMATES) SOBRE Phyllomedusa venusta (ANURA: HYLIDAE) EN EL DEPARTAMENTO DE CALDAS, COLOMBIA

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Andrés Arias Alzate ◽  
Juan D. Sanchez Londoño ◽  
Juan M. Daza ◽  
José F. González Maya
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
First Record ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Ecological Information ◽  
History Of ◽  
Dietary Component

AbstractThe Silvery-brown Tamarin, Saguinus leucopus, is a primate species from the Callitrichidae family, endemic to Colombia, and that has very little ecological information. Here we report on a new dietary component for the species from Departamento de Caldas, Colombia, been the first record of S. leucopus predating an amphibian species (Phyllomedusa venusta). Despite some records exist about tamarin predation on amphibians, this is the first for this endemic species, and it is probably related with its foraging type. This record represents a noteworthy record and contributes to the knowledge of the natural history of this species. Key words: Andes, Callitrichidae, Colombia, Diet, Primates, Predation.Palabras clave: Andes, Callitrichidae, Colombia, Depredación, Dieta, Primates

scholarly journals The role of Central American barriers in shaping the evolutionary history of the northernmost glassfrog,Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni(Anura: Centrolenidae)

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela M. Mendoza ◽  
Wilmar Bolívar-García ◽  
Ella Vázquez-Domínguez ◽  
Roberto Ibáñez ◽  
Gabriela Parra Olea
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Structure ◽  
Central America ◽  
Population Expansion ◽  
Central American ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

The complex geological history of Central America has been useful for understanding the processes influencing the distribution and diversity of multiple groups of organisms. Anurans are an excellent choice for such studies because they typically exhibit site fidelity and reduced movement. The objective of this work was to identify the impact of recognized geographic barriers on the genetic structure, phylogeographic patterns and divergence times of a wide-ranging amphibian species,Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni. We amplified three mitochondrial regions, two coding (COI and ND1) and one ribosomal (16S), in samples collected from the coasts of Veracruz and Guerrero in Mexico to the humid forests of Chocó in Ecuador. We examined the biogeographic history of the species through spatial clustering analyses (Geneland and sPCA), Bayesian and maximum likelihood reconstructions, and spatiotemporal diffusion analysis. Our data suggest a Central American origin ofH. fleischmanniand two posterior independent dispersals towards North and South American regions. The first clade comprises individuals from Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and the sister speciesHyalinobatrachium tatayoi; this clade shows little structure, despite the presence of the Andes mountain range and the long distances between sampling sites. The second clade consists of individuals from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and eastern Honduras with no apparent structure. The third clade includes individuals from western Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico and displays deep population structure. Herein, we synthesize the impact of known geographic areas that act as barriers to glassfrog dispersal and demonstrated their effect of differentiatingH. fleischmanniinto three markedly isolated clades. The observed genetic structure is associated with an initial dispersal event from Central America followed by vicariance that likely occurred during the Pliocene. The southern samples are characterized by a very recent population expansion, likely related to sea-level and climatic oscillations during the Pleistocene, whereas the structure of the northern clade has probably been driven by dispersal through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and isolation by the Motagua–Polochic–Jocotán fault system and the Mexican highlands.

The Form of Man

Human Forms ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 31-54
Author(s):  
Ian Duncan
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Immanuel Kant ◽  
Analogical Reasoning ◽  
Probabilistic Reasoning ◽  
Thought Experiment ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Literary Genres ◽  
History Of ◽  
Scientific Project ◽  
The One

This chapter examines how the science of man became the natural history of man, a history not of individuals or nations but of the human species. A new biological conception of species “as an entity distributed in time and space,” released from the synchronic grid of Linnaean taxonomy as well as from a providential cosmology, comprised what Philip Sloan has called the “Buffonian revolution.” That revolution would be as consequential for literary genres, especially the novel, as it was for the natural and human sciences, in part due to Buffon's recourse to a literary style and techniques of “speculative thought experiment,” probabilistic reasoning, “analogical reasoning, and divination” in his scientific method. The chapter then looks at the debate over the history of man that broke out in the mid-1780s between Immanuel Kant and Gottfried Herder. One of the great intellectual quarrels of the late Enlightenment, it signposted the forking paths of Kant's critical philosophy, on the one hand, and the scientific project of natural history on the other.

scholarly journals Climate, vegetation, introduced hosts and trade shape a global wildlife pandemic

2013 ◽  
Vol 280 (1753) ◽  
pp. 20122506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuan Liu ◽  
Jason R. Rohr ◽  
Yiming Li
Keyword(s):  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Propagule Pressure ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Total Trade ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Species Invasions ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Habitat Factors ◽  
Unique Variation

Global factors, such as climate change, international trade and introductions of exotic species are often elicited as contributors to the unprecedented rate of disease emergence, but few studies have partitioned these factors for global pandemics. Although contemporary correlative species distribution models (SDMs) can be useful for predicting the spatial patterns of emerging diseases, they focus mainly on the fundamental niche (FN) predictors (i.e. abiotic climate and habitat factors), neglecting dispersal and propagule pressure predictors (PP, number of non-native individuals released into a region). Using a validated, predictive and global SDM, we show that both FN and PP accounted for significant, unique variation to the distribution of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ), a pathogen implicated in the declines and extinctions of over 200 amphibian species worldwide. Bd was associated positively with vegetation, total trade and introduced amphibian hosts, nonlinearly with annual temperature range and non-significantly with amphibian leg trade or amphibian species richness. These findings provide a rare example where both FN and PP factors are predictive of a global pandemic. Our model should help guide management of this deadly pathogen and the development of other globally predictive models for species invasions and pathogen emergence influenced by FN and PP factors.

scholarly journals Antifungal Bacteria on Woodland Salamander Skin Exhibit High Taxonomic Diversity and Geographic Variability

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly R. Muletz-Wolz ◽  
Graziella V. DiRenzo ◽  
Stephanie A. Yarwood ◽  
Evan H. Campbell Grant ◽  
Robert C. Fleischer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Amphibian Skin ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Protective Function ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skin Bacteria ◽  
Salamander Species

ABSTRACT Diverse bacteria inhabit amphibian skin; some of those bacteria inhibit growth of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Yet there has been no systematic survey of anti-B. dendrobatidis bacteria across localities, species, and elevations. This is important given geographic and taxonomic variations in amphibian susceptibility to B. dendrobatidis. Our collection sites were at locations within the Appalachian Mountains where previous sampling had indicated low B. dendrobatidis prevalence. We determined the numbers and identities of anti-B. dendrobatidis bacteria on 61 Plethodon salamanders (37 P. cinereus, 15 P. glutinosus, 9 P. cylindraceus) via culturing methods and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We sampled co-occurring species at three localities and sampled P. cinereus along an elevational gradient (700 to 1,000 meters above sea level [masl]) at one locality. We identified 50 anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and found that the degree of B. dendrobatidis inhibition was not correlated with relatedness. Five anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial strains occurred on multiple amphibian species at multiple localities, but none were shared among all species and localities. The prevalence of anti-B. dendrobatidis bacteria was higher at Shenandoah National Park (NP), VA, with 96% (25/26) of salamanders hosting at least one anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial species compared to 50% (7/14) at Catoctin Mountain Park (MP), MD, and 38% (8/21) at Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area (NRA), VA. At the individual level, salamanders at Shenandoah NP had more anti-B. dendrobatidis bacteria per individual (μ = 3.3) than those at Catoctin MP (μ = 0.8) and at Mt. Rogers NRA (μ = 0.4). All salamanders tested negative for B. dendrobatidis. Anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial species are diverse in central Appalachian Plethodon salamanders, and their distribution varied geographically. The antifungal bacterial species that we identified may play a protective role for these salamanders. IMPORTANCE Amphibians harbor skin bacteria that can kill an amphibian fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Some amphibians die from B. dendrobatidis infection, whereas others do not. The bacteria that can kill B. dendrobatidis, called anti-B. dendrobatidis bacteria, are thought to influence the B. dendrobatidis infection outcome for the amphibian. Yet how anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial species vary among amphibian species and populations is unknown. We determined the distribution of anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial species among three salamander species (n = 61) sampled at three localities. We identified 50 unique anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial species and found that all of the tested salamanders were negative for B. dendrobatidis. Five anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial species were commonly detected, suggesting a stable, functional association with these salamanders. The number of anti-B. dendrobatidis bacteria per individual varied among localities but not among co-occurring salamander species, demonstrating that environment is more influential than host factors in structuring the anti-B. dendrobatidis bacterial community. These anti-B. dendrobatidis bacteria may serve a protective function for their salamander hosts.

scholarly journals Amphibian Collapses Exacerbated Malaria Outbreaks in Central America

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Springborn ◽  
Joakim A. Weill ◽  
Karen R. Lips ◽  
Roberto Ibáñez ◽  
Aniruddha Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Food Webs ◽  
Central America ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Malaria Incidence ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Natural Food ◽  
Estimation Model ◽  
Human Welfare

AbstractEcosystems play an important role in supporting human welfare, including regulating the transmission of infectious diseases. Many of these services are not fully-appreciated due to complex environmental dynamics and lack of baseline data. Multicontinental amphibian decline due to the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) provides a stark example. Even though amphibians are known to affect natural food webs—including mosquitoes that transmit human diseases—the human health impacts connected to their massive decline have received little attention. Here we show a causal link between a wave of Bd-driven collapse of amphibians in Central America and increased human malaria incidence. At the canton-level in Costa Rica and district-level in Panama, expected malaria incidence increased for eight years subsequent to amphibian losses, peaking at an additional 1.0 cases per 1,000 population (CPK). The increase is substantial in comparison to annual incidence levels from outbreaks in these countries, which peaked at 1.1-1.5 CPK during our period of study from 1976-2016. This pattern holds across multiple alternative approaches to the estimation model. This previously unidentified impact of biodiversity loss illustrates the often hidden human welfare costs of conservation failures. These findings also show the importance of mitigating international trade-driven spread of similar emergent pathogens like Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans.Significance StatementDespite substantial multicontinental collapses in amphibian populations from spread of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the implications for humans have not been systematically studied. Amphibians are known to affect food webs, including mosquitoes that serve as a vector for the spread of disease. However, little is known about how their loss erodes ecosystem services, including the regulation of the transmission of infectious diseases. Using Central America as a case study, this study shows that Bd-driven amphibian loss led to a substantial increase in malaria incidence. The results highlight the often underappreciated social costs of biodiversity loss, including the potential stakes of ecosystem disruption from failing to stop spread of future novel pathogens.

scholarly journals Notes on some Glass Frogs (Anura: Centrolenidae) from Western Ecuador: Taxonomy, natural history and conservation status, with the description of a new species

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F Cisneros-Heredia ◽  
Roy W. McDiarmid
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Undescribed Species ◽  
Science Center ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Forest Remnants ◽  
History Of

Ecuador has the biggest number of amphibian species per unit of area in the world (425 species in 283,560 km2). In the last decade, conservative estimates indicate that at least 26 species of Ecuadorian amphibians have declined or gone extinct. The reasons for this crisis are not clear but have been related to habitat destruction, climate change, and/or diseases, such as chytridiomycosis. The Río Palenque Science Center (RPSC) was among the last remnants of tropical rainforest in the western lowlands of Ecuador. Twenty years ago, investigations done by R. McDiarmid, Ken Miyata and others lead to the discovery of an amazing herpetofauna, including several undescribed species. However, the expansion of the agricultural frontier and transformation of the forest remnants into oil palm and banana plantations destroyed this site. Among the species identified from RPSC were five species of glass frogs (family Centrolenidae): Centrolene prosoblepon, Cochranella spinosa, Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni, Hyalinobatrachium sp. (cf. valerioi), and an undescribed species of the genus Centrolene. This research analyzed the morphological characters and natural history of the five glass frogs of RPSC in order to describe the new species of Centrolene from RPSC, which seems to be critically endangered, if not extinct. The new species is characterized by a combination of the following characters: 1) distinctive coloration in life with dark flecks and yellow dorsolateral stripes on a green dorsum; 2) parietal peritoneum white, covering about ½ of the venter, pericardium white, liver and stomach without guanophores, large intestine with guanophores; 3) presence of exposed prepollical spines; 4) humeral spines in males; 5) unique glandular nuptial pad between fingers I and II; and 5) reddish iris.

Preliminary observations on home ranges and natural history of Scotinomys teguina in Costa Rica

Mammalia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 490-493
Author(s):  
David O. Ribble ◽  
Galen B. Rathbun
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Central America ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Dense Forest ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
History Of

Abstract We conducted a brief radiotelemetry study of Scotinomys teguina (Alston’s singing mice) in Costa Rica to better understand their natural history and spatial ecology. We radio-collared five mice, one of which was quickly eaten by a pitviper. The home ranges of the remaining mice were in moist habitats and ranged from 255 to 1620 m2, with extensive overlap between adjacent individuals. Singing mice, being small, diurnal, uniformly dark-colored insectivores foraging in dense forest floor habitats, have an adaptive syndrome similar to soricids, which may be due to the low diversity of shrews through Central America.

scholarly journals Amphibian species vary in their learned avoidance response to the deadly fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taegan A. McMahon ◽  
Megan N. Hill ◽  
Garrett C. Lentz ◽  
Electra F. Scott ◽  
Nadia F. Tenouri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Avoidance Response ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Amphibian Species

scholarly journals Prevalence of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in amphibians of Costa Rica predated first-known epizootic

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina E. De León ◽  
Héctor Zumbado-Ulate ◽  
Adrián García-Rodríguez ◽  
Gilbert Alvarado ◽  
Hasan Sulaeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Fungal Pathogen ◽  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Local Data ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Genetic Lineages ◽  
Quantitative Pcr Assay

AbstractEmerging infectious diseases are a growing threat to biodiversity worldwide. Outbreaks of the infectious disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), have caused the decline and extinction of numerous amphibian species. In Costa Rica, a major decline event occurred in 1987, more than two decades before this pathogen was discovered. The loss of many species in Costa Rica is assumed to be due to Bd-epizootics, but there are few studies that provide data from amphibians in the time leading up to the proposed epizootics. In this study, we provide new data on Bd infection rates of amphibians collected throughout Costa Rica, in the decades prior to the epizootics. We used a quantitative PCR assay to test for Bd infection in 1016 specimens collected throughout Costa Rica. We found Bd-infected hosts collected as early as 1964, and a infection prevalence average per decade of just 4%. The infection prevalence remained relatively low and geographically constrained until the 1980s when epizootics are hypothesized to have occurred. After that time, infection prevalence increased three-fold and Bd-infected hosts we collected throughout the entire country. Our results, suggest that Bd may either have invaded Costa Rica earlier than previously known, and spread more slowly than previously reported, or that an endemic lineage of the pathogen may exists. To help visualize areas where future studies should take place, we provide a Bd habitat suitability model trained with local data. Studies that provide information on genetic lineages of Bd are needed to determine whether an endemic lineage of Bd or the Global Panzootic Lineage (identified from mass die off sites globally) was present in Costa Rica and responsible for the epizootics that caused amphibian communities to collapse.

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