Herps in the News: The Chytrid Fungus

     Today, a student from out Herpetology class gave a presentation on the Chytrid Fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (B.d.), found in frogs and how it is rapidly infecting many individuals in multiple frog families. This fungus grows in the skin cells of amphibians and causes their skin to thicken. This thickening of amphibian skin doesn't permit the necessary gas exchange and ultimately causes cardiac arrest in the organism. B.d is thransfered from one individual to anther through water and also through physical contact of skin cells. This fungus is nontoxic to humans, however, posses lethal affects on the amphibians that are not immune to its' toxicity. This relatively new amphibian epidemic sparked an interest in me to find a news related article confirming the presence of this fungus in frogs. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfrog

     The Bay Citizen, out of San Francisco California, purchased American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeiana) where they tested for the presence of B.d.: three came back positive. The bullfrog is an invasive species of California and are often sold as a meal item in their local markets. These markets in fact kill them before being sold to prevent the costumer from keeping the bullfrogs as pets and from reproducing. Reproduction is achieved in aquatic environments where the transfer of B.d. can happens as well. B.d. transfer coincides with frog reproduction because of the physical contact in amplexus between individuals. Frog reproduction basically facilitates the transfer to individuals with every new reproductive act. Pet stores and local Buddhists allow the release of bullfrogs into the public which hinders the state's attempt to control their reproductive success and also the transfer of B.d. A larger testing sample was conducted finding 62% were infected with the detrimental Chytrid fungus. A professor at San Francisco State University confirms the fungus is "jumping from species [...] to species..." and claiming the lives of "tadpoles to ducklings." It appears the American bullfrog is immune to this fungus but serves as a carrier to other, weaker frog species, such as the once prevalent yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa). Attempts of putting a halt on the B.d. fungus have been hindered due to the reliance on the bullfrogs as a food source and some religious customs. 

http://cisr.ucr.edu/chytrid_fungus.html

      According to this post and our presentation in class, the B.d. fungus has infected species in California, C. America, the U.S., Australia, Africa, and Asia. Without human interaction, this fungus will soon wipe out several species of frog around the world. However, not knowing how or where the fungus originated delays quick action against B.d. I believe the intended audience of this post are inhabitants of California, or other areas where American bullfrogs are invasive. The author also sounds like they want the bullfrog problem taken care of and doesn't have much to say about the ethics behind "taking care of the problem."


This is the post this blog came from.