Symbiosis Between Frogs and Bacteria

News Article Name: Bacteria may help frogs attract mates

Date: March 14, 2019

Story Source:

Materials provided by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo. Original written by Peter Moon. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Citation:

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo. (2019, March 14). Bacteria may help frogs attract mates. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190314123141.htm

               There was a discovery that an odor that was once thought to be produced by some species of amphibian is derived from a symbiosis between bacteria and frog. This strong odor was believed to be a defense, like what skunks use to warn off predators, such assumption made in connection to various frogs having the ability to use poison as a means of protection.

               There was a study performed by Argentinean biologist Andrés Eduardo Brunetti, supervised by Professor Norberto Peporine Lopes that revealed that this odor was produced from a symbiotic relationship between B prasina and bacteria, Pseudomonas sp. They looked at the species Boana prasina whose sexual dimorphism is quite distinct and behave similarly to what other anurans do to attract mates, through calling. Through this study, they believed that this species of frog takes mate signaling even further in using this odor. The environments they reside in can be noisy and difficult in distinguishing select species. Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, the researchers found that between the male and females, three compounds were present in both of their skins, but at different levels between them. These were interesting results because two of which, thioethers and methoxypyrazines are usually produced by microorganisms. The study proves the symbiotic relationship between these species but does not yet prove that the odor helps distinguish species from each other, something that Brunetti expresses to find out soon. If successful, this later research can open up a new field in herpetology among anuran communication.