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Froglog 33: 1 Rana arvalis by Tim Halliday ISSN 1026-0269 F ROGLOG Newsletter of the Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force April 2003, Number 56 . tissue and fragments of cutaneous Amphibian Mortality in a National lesions showed the presence of the Ecology and Conservation of the Park in the North of Portugal bacteria Cedecea lapagei and Genus Neurergus in the Zagros Aeromonas hydrophila in one Mountains, Western Iran individual. We consider the virus as the potential cause of the observed amphibian mortality and the bacterial infection as an opportunistic attack. B y Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani The analysis of one sample of T. (DAPTF Seed Grant Recipient) marmoratus for chytridiomycosis By Claudia Soares, António Alves de The newts of the Zagros Mountains, Matos, J. W. Arntzen, Miguel Carretero yielded a negative result (Jaime Bosch , pers. comm .). especially the genus Neurergus, are & Armando Loureiro extremely sensitive to environmental <[email protected]> We are uncertain as to the origin of the disease. We are aware, change because they livein marginal The first documented case of mass however, of the uncontrolled conditions. It is likely that the rate at mortality in newts in Portugal was introduction of the exotic invasive fish, which newt species are declining in described by Froufe et al. (1999). This Lepomis gibbosus , which was first abundance has been underestimated, event occurred in a protected and observed in the lake in 2001. Lepomis and this potential problem needs more or less pristine area in the gibbosus may have carried one or immediate attention. It is also possible mountains of the Peneda-Gerês more of the pathogens. Moreover, this that effects from habitat destruction, national park in northern Portugal. A fish is known to have a wide pollution and drought affect the Zagros large number of marbled newts, carnivorous diet (Scott & Corssman, newts more than any other of our Triturus marmoratus , were found dead 1979) and is a potential predator for amphibians, both directly and at the shores of the ca. 0.5 ha Carris amphibian larvae and small adult indirectly. Lake that is located at an altitude of newts. We are now evaluating the My studies have revealed that approximately 1500 m. possible involvement of the virus in the Zagros newts require relatively In order to determine the cause the disease pathogenesis and aim to complex mosaic landscapes that of the fatalities, we set up a program document the impact of the disease include terrestrial elements for to monitor the populations of all locally on the amphibian populations of Carris foraging, protection and hibernation, breeding amphibian species. In 2001, Lake. as well as aquatic habitats with good larvae and adults of Bosca’s newt ( T. quality and a rich invertebrate food References boscai ) and the common midwife toad base. Connective habitats that enable Alves de Matos, A.P., Loureiro, A., ( Alytes obstetricans ) were found migration between terrestrial and Carretero, M.A., Soares, C.(2002) diseased and dead (Soares et al. aquatic habitats are also important Iridovirus-like particles in high 2002). In 2002, adult Perez’s frogs determinants of population size and mortality episode of Triturus ( Rana perezi ) were also found to be ill, abundance. marmoratus (Amphibia) from Portugal. although not in as high a number as th Three species of the genus XIV International Poxvirus & observed in T. marmoratus (n=42). Neurergus occur in the Zagros Iridovirus Workshop, Lake Placid, New Affected adults were lethargic and Mountains, northwestern and western York. displayed cutaneous ulcers and tissue Iran. Of these, N. crocatus occurs in haemorrhages and those kept in Froufe, E., Arntzen, J.W. & Loureiro, northwestern Iran in Azerbaijan and captivity all died within days. Affected A. (1999) Dead newts in Peneda- Kurdistan provinces. N. microspilotus larvae showed tissue haemorrhages Gerês. Froglog 33: 1. occurs in Kermanshah province, and and oedemas. The highest mortality Scott, W.B. & Corssman, E.J.(1979) N. kaiseri occurs in Lorestan province was observed in spring and summer. Freshwater fishes of Canada. in the south-central regions of the We conducted light- and Canadian Government Publishing. Zagros range. The habitat of these electron-microscopic examination of Soares, C., Alves de Matos, A.P., newts is closely related to shallow, tissue samples taken from recently Loureiro, A. & Carretero, M.(2002) cool, clear mountain streams and dead animals. This revealed the Episódios de Mortalidade nas nearby vegetation. In the breeding presence of iridovirus-like particles in populações de anfíbios na Lagoa dos season, mating takes place close to the underlying cells (Alves de Matos et Carris - Parque Nacional da Peneda- the water; the females then enter the al. 2002) and constitutes the first Gerês (PNPG), Portugal. VII water and deposit their eggs. After a reported case of an iridovirus-like virus Congresso Luso-Espanhol de few weeks, the larvae are found in the in the genus Triturus . Microbial Herpetologia , Évora, Portugal. water and it takes about 2months for analysis of freshly collected liver the larvae to completemetamorphosis The World Conservation Union (IUCN)/Species Survival Commission (SSC) The Open University " The World Congress of Herpetology " Harvard University Based on my own Kermanshah, IRAN. new curriculum about anthropogenic observations, all 3 species of [email protected] changes to the environment and the Neurergus are in great risk of effect on salamander diversity and population decline and are seriously abundance) will be conducted. threatened. Cultural differences and similarities in After receiving the DAPTF DAPTF Seed these academic processes will be seed grant, field trips were conducted Grants 2003 compared between both groups. in the central Zagros Mountains in A successful feasibility / Kermanshah province, focusing on N. reconnaissance trip to Xalapa, microspilotus. All available habitats Veracruz, Mexico was performed 25 We have just completed our allocation (mountainous streams, pondsand October 2002 –3 November 2002. of DAPTF Seed Grants for 2003. This deep valleys, at about 1350-2100 m Sixteen participants were selected year, we received 63 applications from elevation) were checked in order to from a group of teachers invited by 32 countries, and we are funding 20 ascertain the occurrence of this taxon. Rita Vázquez, Director, Project WET projects, an outlay of about $34,500. Occurrence was expected in most of (Water Education for Teachers) Our budget this year has been the visited localities. The species, Mexico. During the workshop an enhanced by a generous contribution however, was absent in many of those overview of Project SAVE, which I from the U.S. Department of the localitiesand, if present in some, there developed for my Masters degree in Interior's Amphibian Research and were just a few specimens at each Science Education at NCSU, was Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), which is site. Climatic changes in the area presented as an example of the type supportingfiveprojects in North were noted. Some of the small of curriculum that I will develop for America. streams (serving as breeding sites) Project SAVE Mexico - Proyecto In the period 1992 to 2003, the have dried out due to the severe SALVA (Salva el Ambiente Vital de los DAPTF has funded 135 projects drought of recent years. Populations Anfibios) that I will use to obtain my through its Seed Grant programme, an previously occurring in these areas data for my Ph.D. dissertation. outlay of $242,000; these projects are have been extirpated. Water During the spring of 2003, a distributed across 37 different contamination (either from human Project SAVE workshop for up to six countries. This year, for the first time, disposal, where the habitats are close teachers from Wake County, NC will we are funding projects in Guatemala, to villages or small townships, or by be offered. This three-day workshop Nepal and Serbia. chemical pollutants such as fertilizers, will be held at the Highlands Biological Tim Halliday insecticides and herbicides) may also Station, Highlands, NC. Participants be having an effect on reproductive for the North Carolina portion of the success and on various life stages. study will be selected from HS Earth/ The local people have been Environmental Science teachers who informed as to the destructive nature attend this workshop. Select teachers of their waste-disposal activities, and will be invited to participate. This are co-operative, but lack a suitable workshop is sponsored by a grant alternative means of disposal. Local from the North Carolina Herpetological authorities have promised financial Society. support to build a waste-disposal In the fall of 2003 Rita Vázquez system and it is to be hoped that this and I will facilitate a three day (6 is constructed soon. hrs/day,total = 18 hrs.) teacher The use of various chemical workshop in Xalapa to prepare pollutants has also been discussed teachers for the use of the new with the villagers and farmers who are Proyecto SALVA curriculum, which I using these chemicals to improve their will develop during the months of agricultural efforts. Although it is December, 2002 through May, 2003. difficult to prevent the use of Curriculum activities will be focused “favourite” chemicals, some headway on anthropogenic changes to the has been made in emphasizing Project SAVE environment and the effects on minimal use of chemicals, and then salamander diversity and abundance only when absolutely necessary.It is with suggestions for conservation hoped that, with more financial measures to protect the rare and support, the project can be continued threatened species of one of the most By David Wojnowski and expanded, involving more local species-rich salamander areas in the people and authorities, and that this Project SAVE (Saving Amphibian Vital world. Rita Vázquez has agreed to will lead to a cessation, or at least a Environments) is a supplemental translate the curriculum into Spanish, reduction, in the decline of the highly environmental/conservation education making the finished product bilingual, threatened, endemic newts of the curriculum and activity guide and Paula Wynn will lend her Zagros Mountains.
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