The Effect of Glyphosate And Ciprofloxacin Eexposure On The Gut Bacterial Microbiota Diversity of Rhinella Arenarum (Anura: Bufonidae) Tadpoles

The high load of agrochemicals and antibiotics coexisting in aquatic environments within agroecosystems represents a risk for wildlife. As the gut microbiota plays a key role on its host’s functioning and is sensitive to a wide variety of pollutants, its study allows evaluating organisms’ health and therefore, the ecosystem. We studied toxic effects of commercial formulations of a glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) on gut bacterial microbiota diversity of the common toad (Rhinella arenarum) tadpoles, considered a sentinel species. The study was carried out by classic microbiological analysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The microbiota from GBH treatment had greater taxa diversity and richness, including some genera, such as Proteus spp. and Yersinia spp. that were absent in control. In contrast, microbiota from CIP treatment registered a decrease of diversity indexes, dominance of Aeromonas spp. and presence of Leclercia spp. The GBH-CIP treatment showed changes in taxa composition, including decrease of Klebsiella spp. and Pseudomonas spp. and trends of individual pollutant treatments. For all cases, changes in the composition of bacterial community (dysbiosis) were linked to a significant decrease in tadpoles’ weight. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the disruption of gut bacterial microbiota of tadpoles by a mixture of two contaminants of emerging concern worldwide. These findings contribute to understanding how the presence of two co-occurring pollutants in freshwaters results in deleterious effects on the amphibian community and potentially affect the microbiota of those environments.

Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos: the highest Amphibian diversity within an Atlantic Forest protected area

We studied the amphibian community of the Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos (PARNASO) for over thirty years. The area of 20,024 hectares has a steep altitudinal gradient (200-2,263 m a.s.l.), and it is located in the municipalities of Guapimirim, Magé, Petrópolis and Teresópolis, middle of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Most data were obtained from sampling sites in the municipality of Teresópolis, with additional data from zoological collections and bibliography. We recorded 83 amphibian species distributed in two orders, Anura, 13 families: Aromobatidae (1), Brachycephalidae (11), Bufonidae (5), Centrolenidae (2), Craugastoridae (2), Cycloramphidae (8), Hemiphractidae (7), Hylidae (28), Hylodidae (6), Leptodactylidae (5), Microhylidae (1), Odontophrynidae (3), Phyllomedusidae (3) and Gymnophiona, one family: Siphonopidae (1). In addition, we present six species that occurs in the buffer zone. Ten of these species are endemic of the park, 18 have PARNASO as its type locality, and five the type locality is at the buffer zone.

What is driving declines of montane endemic amphibians? New insights from Mount Bamboutos, Cameroon

Amphibians on African mountains are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, disease and climate change. In particular, there have been recent reports of declines of montane endemic frogs in Cameroon. Mount Bamboutos, although home to numerous species of endemic amphibians, has no official protection and its amphibian populations have so far not been studied quantitatively. We surveyed frog assemblages on this mountain along a gradient of forest modification over a 2-year period. Through visual encounter surveys stratified across forest and farmland, we found that threatened montane amphibian species are closely associated with forested areas, particularly the Critically Endangered Leptodactylodon axillaris and Endangered Leptodactylodon perreti, Astylosternus ranoides and Cardioglossa oreas. Using the updated inventory of amphibians, which includes species with broader ranges across Africa, we found 69% of amphibian species on Mount Bamboutos to be threatened. We did not record several species present in historical records, which suggests they may have disappeared from this mountain, including Cardioglossa pulchra, Phrynobatrachus steindachneri, Phrynobatrachus werneri, Sclerophrys villiersi, Werneria bambutensis and Wolterstorffina mirei. The pattern of change detected in the amphibian community is consistent with declines on other mountains in the country, with a loss of Phrynobatrachus, Werneria and Cardioglossa spp., but persistence of Astylosternus, Arthroleptis and Leptodacty-lodon. The observed relationships of land-use patterns and amphibian diversity suggest that ongoing land-use changes could extirpate the remaining montane endemic frog species, particularly L. axillaris and L. perreti. Preserving a network of connected forest patches is therefore critical to save the endemic amphibians of Mount Bamboutos.

Life cycle of Alytes dickhilleni Arntzen and García-París, 1995 and sympatric amphibian community in ponds with high conservation interest in Region of Murcia (SE Spain)

Se ha estudiado el ciclo de vida durante un periodo anual (diciembre 2016–noviembre 2017) de los anfibios en dos cuerpos de agua artificiales en el límite oriental de la distribución de la especie amenazada Alytes dickhilleni Arntzen y García-París, 1995. En ambos sistemas, se reproduce la especie objetivo y dos más, Bufo spinosus Daudin, 1803, y Pelophylax perezi (López-Seoane, 1885). Los ciclos reproductivos de A. dickhilleni y P. perezi muestran semejanzas con lo descrito en medios naturales y artificiales en la Región de Murcia; por el contrario, B. spinosus presentó un adelanto significativo. Este estudio pone de manifiesto el importante papel de los cuerpos de agua artificiales ligados a prácticas ganaderas tradicionales para la conservación de A. dickhilleni en el sureste ibérico semiárido. Life cycle of amphibian community inhabiting two artificial ponds on the eastern edge of the native distribution of the endangered species Alytes dickhilleni Arntzen and García- Paris, 1995, was studied over a complete annual cycle (from December 2016 to November 2017). We confirm the breeding status of the target species and two more, Bufo spinosus Daudin, 1803 and Pelophylax perezi (López-Seoane, 1885). Breeding cycles of A. dickhilleni and P. perezi showed similar phenology to available data from other natural and manmade ponds on Region of Murcia; conversely, B. spinosus showed a slightly advanced cycle. This study highlights the important role of artificial and traditional livestock ponds to conservation of A. dickhilleni population in Iberian southeast.