The Herpetological Journal
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Volume 2, Number 3 July 1992 ISSN 0268-0130 THE HERPETOLOGICAL JOURNAL Published by Indexed in THE BRITISH HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY Current Contents The Herpetological Journal is published quarterly by the British Herpetological Society and is issued free to members. Applications to purchase copies and/or for details of membership should be made to the Hon. Secretary, British Herpetological Society, The Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NWl 4RY, U.K. Instructions to authors are printed inside the back cover. All contributions should be addressed to the Editor (address below), Editor: Richard A. Griffiths, The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, The University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NX, U.K. Assistant Editor: Margret M. Bray, Department of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Wye College (University of London), Nr. Ashford, Kent, TN25 5AH, UK. Editorial Board: Pim Arntzen (Leicester) Donald Broadley (Zimbabwe) John Cooper (Tanzania) John Davenport (Millport) Tim Halliday (Milton Keynes) Michael Klemens (New York) Colin McCarthy (London) Andrew Milner (London) Henk Strijbosch (Nijmegen) Richard Tinsley (London) BRITISH HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY Copyright It is a fundamental condition that submitted manuscripts have not been published and will not be simultaneously submitted or published elsewhere. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the copyright for their article is transferred to the publisher if and when the article is accepted for publication. The copyright covers the exclusive rights to reproduce and distribute the article, including reprints and photographic reproductions. Permission for any such activities must be sought in advance from the Editor. ADVERTISEMENTS The Herpetological Journal accepts advertisements subject to approval of contents by the Editor, to whom enquiries should be addressed. FRONT COVER: Common Toad, Bufo bufo (D. Leeton) HERPETOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Vol. 2, pp. 65-7 1 (1992) 65 REVIEW: ASSESSING EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES: STATUS AND NEEDS RUSSELL J. HALL' AND PAULA F. P. HENRY2 1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mail Stop 725, ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, N. W. Washington, DC 20240, U.S.A. 2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland, 20708, U.S.A. (Accepted 5.9.91) ABSTRACT Growing concern aboutthe decline of certain amphibian populations and for conservation of amphibians and reptiles has led to re newed awareness of problems from pesticides. Testing amphibians and reptiles as a requirement for chemical registration has been proposed but is difficult because of the phylogenetic diversity of these groups. Information from the literature and research may deter mine whether amphibians and reptiles are adequately protected by current tests for mammals, birds, and fish. Existing information indicates that amphibians are unpredictably more resistant to certain cholinesterase inhibitors, and more sensitive to two chemicals used in fishery applications than could have been predicted. A single study on one species of lizard suggests that reptiles may be close in sensitivity to mammals and birds. Research on effects of pesticides on amphibians and reptiles should compare responses to currently tested groups and should seek to delineate those taxa and chemicals for which cross-group prediction is not possible. New tests for amphibians and reptiles should rely to the greatest extent possible on existing data bases, and should be designed for maximum economy and minimum harm to test animals. A strategy for developing the needed information is proposed. Good field testing and surveillance of chemicals in use may compensate for fa ilures of predictive evaluations and may ultimately lead to improved tests. INTRODUCTION was accumulating resulted in the requirement of batteries of tests to register new chemicals for sale and use. The process in The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1990) recently released volved research that revealed mechanisms and extent of the a list of endangered and threatened wildlife species that in harm, legislation, and regulations for enforcement of restricted cluded 19 taxa of amphibians and JO 1 taxa of reptiles. More applications to prevent a recurrence of past problems. The ex than a decade ago, a committee of scientists (Anon., 1977) re tent of continued losses of fish and wildlife determine the ported to the European Committee for the Conservation of effectiveness of regulated applications of chemicals. Nature and Natural Resources that at least 30% of Europe's amphibian species and 45% of its reptile species were in danger Losses of fish and birds attracted the most attention and initi of extinction. Similarly, an earlier assessment in the United ated legislation and regulations for the application of chemicals. States (Bury, Dodd & Fellers, 1980) estimated that continued Concern was especially high for mammals because of the obvi survival of at least 16% of native salamanders and 7% of frogs ous implications for human health. Regulations specified fish, and toads was in jeopardy. More recent studies by the U.S. Fish birds, and mammals as test subjects and required tests to reveal and Wildlife Service (Corn, Stolzenburg & Bury, 1989) of the the kinds of toxicity that had been observed in natural effects of acid precipitation on amphibian populations of the populations of these organisms. If amphibians and reptiles were Rocky Mountain region noted declines of several species, but ever considered, it was presumed that tests conducted on fish, current evidence does not implicate acidification as a primary birds, and mammals would yield a range of toxicity data that, cause of these declines. Worldwide concern over declining when evaluated and implemented with appropriate safety fac amphibians prompted the U.S. National Research Council to tors, would also protect these other groups. sponsor a conference in February 1990 to summarize evidence and to seek explanations for the declines (Borchelt, 1990). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently Measures to conserve amphibians and reptiles have been slow, (draft Revised FIFRA Guidelines Document - Subdivision E, and threats from toxic chemicals in the environment are among March 1988) began consideration of pre-registration testing of the threats that have received insufficient attention. The success chemicals for their acute lethal toxicity to amphibians and rep of governmentsin ameliorating the effects of toxic chemicals on tiles, using frogs (Rana spp. tadpoles) and adult lizards (Ano/is other biota leads to the conclusion that it may also be possible to carolinensis). In the proposal, works by Hall & Swineford protect amphibians and reptiles. ( 1980) and Hall & Clark ( 1982) were cited as examples of ac ceptable protocols for both classes. Several questions are raised Governments, particularly in the developed countries, use by this proposal. Are existing safeguards adequate to protect scientific evidence that certain chemicals are harmful to biota to amphibians and repti les? Would requirement of the kinds of restrict or even eliminate their use. The organochlorine pesti pre-registration testing proposed confer additional safeguards? cides, generally broad-spectrum, persistent pesticides, some of Are more effective and more efficient tests available? And, which accumulate in animal tissues, are a well-known example. lacking adequate information on which to answer the foregoing The harm caused in the decades when information on effects questions, how can the information needed be obtained? 66 RUSSELL J. HALL AND PAULA F. P. HENRY We have reviewed the scientific evidence of the toxicity of much more toxic to birds than to fish. Trifluralin, a herbicide of chemicals, evaluated the adequacy of existing knowledge for low toxicity to birds and mammals, is among the most toxic protection ofherpetofauna, and identified a strategy for research chemicals to fish. The potential interaction of the great natural to provide missing information. diversity among amphibians and reptiles and the intentional se lectivity engineered into pesticides can result in diverse PROBLEMS IN EVALUATING RISK responses and in unpredicted hazards. DIVERSITY OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES THE N ATURE OF DATA ON CHEMICAL HAZARDS Taxonomic diversity. Reptiles are more diverse than any of Most available information on the hazard of chemicals to the other land vertebrates. Crocodilians, for example, are more vertebrates is in data bases that were generated on groups of ani closely related to birds than to turtles. If relatedness is a good mals other than amphibians and reptiles. Probably the greatest predictor of hazard of chemicals, effective predictors for all rep volume is on mammals, primarily laboratory rodents. Another tiles do not exist. Pough, Heiser & McFarland ( 1989), relying very large volume of information exists on fish. Less informa on the work of Smithson ( 1985) and others, stated that precise tion is available on birds, but much of the knowledge from avian relationships among the major groups of vertebrates cannot be studies is relatively useful because of its focus on hazards to determined. Nevertheless, all indications are that the maj or wild animals in the natural environment. For the great majority groups of amniotes are both distinct and diverse. An Anolis liz of chemicals, there is no information on hazards to amphibians ard is probably not a good predictor of responses of crocodilians or repti Jes. and turtles, for example,