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Frogs Fact Sheet

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Frogs Fact Sheet Malformed frogs in Minnesota: an update Background Malformed frogs first became the topic of national news in August 1995 when students at a middle school in southern Minnesota discovered one-half of all the frogs they caught in a nearby pond were malformed. Since then, malformed frogs have been reported throughout Minnesota and elsewhere in the United States and Canada (http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/narcam), and in other countries. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has been leading much of the research to discover the cause(s) for these malformations in Minnesota. The U.S. Geological Survey has been collaborating in this effort with studies on virus, bacteria, and parasite identification; water and sediment Hoppe David by Photo chemistry; hydrology and land use. Scientists from numerous federal agencies Minnesota during 1958-63 that are and universities also have been working with MPCA to find causes for this archived at the Bell Museum of Natural problem (see list on page 3). A chronicle of this effort conducted within History at the University of Minnesota Minnesota and elsewhere is presented in a book titled “A Plague of Frogs: the were malformed (Hoppe, 2000). Another Horrifying True Story” (Souder, 2000) and in the Minnesota Conservation 0.5 percent were abnormal due to predator Volunteer (Souder, 2001). While malformed frogs also have been found in attacks. Hoppe (2000) reported that only many other states, numerous studies have focused on malformed frogs in 0.2 percent of 1,772 frogs from nine field Minnesota, and significant progress toward finding a cause or causes for sites in west-central Minnesota during malformation has been made. This Fact Sheet summarizes scientific results 1973-93 were malformed or were missing from malformed-frog studies conducted primarily in Minnesota. limbs from predator attack. In contrast, during 1996-97 Hoppe (2000) found that 2.3 percent of 2,548 frogs from those same nine sites were malformed (site-specific others, 2001); this differs from what is Field Survey of Minnesota Frogs malformation percentages ranged from 0 seen when a predator causes partial limbs, to 9.4). Burkhart and others (2000) indicating that attacks by predators did not From 1995 through 2000, nearly 25,000 indicated that it is difficult to find sites that frogs from 195 sites in Minnesota have cause those do not have malformed frogs. been caught, examined, and released by missing or partial MPCA scientists and collaborators, limbs (Lannoo, Frog malformations at according to the MPCA Malformed Frogs 2000). Nearly all abnormal sites database (Murzyn, 2000). Malformed malformed frogs frogs have been found throughout found since 1995 At some sites in Minnesota Minnesota (fig. 1). Malformations were have been the percentages of malformed found in 8 species of frogs and toads. For juveniles (Hoppe, frogs have been much higher northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens), the 2001; Lannoo, since 1995. Twenty of the 195 species most commonly found in 2000), indicating MPCA sites have frequencies Minnesota, 6.5 percent of 13,763 frogs that malformed 1 SITE 2 SITES of frog malformations in collected were malformed. Malformations frogs rarely 4 OR MORE SITES excess of 5 percent and are included missing limbs, missing digits, survive to become termed “abnormal” sites. extra limbs, partial limbs, skin webbing, adults. This lack Some abnormal sites have malformed jaws, and missing or extra eyes of survival may be malformation rates far in (Helgen and others, 1998; Canfield and contributing to the 050100 MILES excess of 5 percent. At others, 2000; Meteyer, Loeffler, and population decline one site, for example, 25 others, 2000). At some sites, many reported for some Figure 1: Locations where malformed percent of juvenile malformed frogs had “bony triangles” amphibian species. frogs have been found in Minnesota, 1995-2000 (from Murzyn, 2000) northern leopard frogs (bone bridges) in X-ray images, an were malformed. At abnormal development that also has been another site, 68 percent of all juvenile induced in frogs exposed to retinoid Historical malformation rates for frogs mink frogs (Rana septentrionalis) were chemicals in the laboratory (Gardiner and malformed (Hoppe, 2001). The frequency Hoppe, 1999). The ends of partially In the past, malformed frogs were rarely of malformations peaked at different times developed bones often had a spongy found in Minnesota. Only 0.2 percent of of the year at different sites, generally appearance in X-ray images (Lannoo and 2,433 frog specimens collected in from early August to early October (fig. 2) U.S. Department of the Interior USGS Fact Sheet 043-01 U.S. Geological Survey May 2001 worst abnormal sites have water that Ribeiroia has not been found at other contains fewer dissolved minerals than abnormal sites in Minnesota (Sutherland, 1997 1998 1999 most Minnesota wetlands (Jones and 2001), indicating that other factors are 40 Site 1 others, 2000). Some scientists speculated causing malformations at those abnormal 20 that ground-water contamination may have sites. It is not clear why Ribeiroia 0 been contributing to the frog malforma- infection may have increased in recent tions at some of the abnormal sites. years, but there is some evidence that 40 Site 2 However, follow-up research on the higher levels of nutrients may promote the 20 hydrology of some of the abnormal sites parasite’s life cycle (Johnson and others, indicates there is a notable lack of ground 2001). 0 water flowing into those ponds (Jones and 40 Site 3 others, 1999). Chemicals PERCENT MALFORMATION PERCENT 20 Suspected causes for malformed frogs Human-made chemicals often are 0 suspected as the cause for frog Parasites malformation in Minnesota. Chemical analysis of water samples from most of the Late Aug Many frog malformations in the western Late JulyEarly Aug Late SeptEarly Oct abnormal sites in Minnesota indicated no Early July Early Sept United States appear to be caused by the unusual concentrations for dozens of parasite Ribeiroia ondatrae (Johnson and compounds analyzed by the Minnesota Figure 2: Malformation rates peak at different others, 1999; Johnson and Lunde, 1999), a Department of Health (Helgen and others, times from year to year and at different times trematode (flatworm) that develops inside 1998) and the National Institute for from site to site (Murzyn, 2000). aquatic snails before burrowing into Environmental Health Sciences (Burkhart tadpoles (Johnson and others, 2001). (Canfield and others, 2000). The types of and others, 1998). Several species of amphibians developed malformations at these abnormal sites high frequencies (40 to 100 percent) of differed from site to site as well (Meteyer, Pesticides are known to cause Loeffler, and others, 2000), suggesting malformation or death of frogs when multiple causes or combinations of present in sufficient concentrations causes for malformations. Missing limbs (Harfenist and others, 1989). Studies in were the predominant malformation at Canada show a relation between the one abnormal site, skin webbings were percentage of malformed frogs and the most common malformation at pesticide use another, and malformations of several (Ouellet and types were observed at yet another others, 1997; abnormal site (fig. 3). Many of the Bishop and malformation types recorded since 1995 others, 1999). have not been observed previously by At the abnormal Minnesota herpetologists (Hoppe, 2000). sites in At a few of the abnormal sites, the Minnesota, few percentage of malformed frogs has pesticides or declined in recent years, but so has the degradation total number of frogs (Canfield and products were others, 2000). Severe population die-offs detected in water and sediment at some of these sites have made it Figure 3: Examples of malformations difficult to conduct studies on causes for observed in Minnesota ponds. samples, and malformation because it has become those detected difficult to find frogs, especially northern Photographers, from top clockwise: were present in MPCA, David Hoppe, Carol Meteyer. leopard frogs (Shappell and others, 2000; very small Hoppe, 2001). A virus was found to be quantities (Jones responsible for some of the die-offs severe limb malformations when exposed and others, 1999). Methoprene, an (Meteyer, Cole, and others, 2000). to Ribeiroia in the laboratory (Johnson and insecticide widely used to control others, 2001). Other researchers have mosquitoes, also has been suspected as Abnormal sites exist in many different simulated the effects of parasite infection, having caused malformations. Laboratory types of ponds and wetlands in Minnesota demonstrating that malformation can result studies on northern leopard frogs by the (fig. 4), but certain characteristics of some from simply inserting tiny beads into Environmental Protection Agency of the abnormal sites are noteworthy. tadpoles at the location where hind limbs indicated no induced malformations at Three of the abnormal sites were form (Sessions and Ruth, 1990). At methoprene concentrations commonly constructed wetlands, with little aquatic several of the abnormal sites in Minnesota, found in the environment (Ankley and vegetation, firm sediments, and sometimes the frogs are heavily infected with others, 1998). In contrast, field trials of steeply sloping shorelines. Two of the Ribeiroia (Sutherland, 2001); however, methoprene applied at mosquito-control concentrations did result in malformations Minnesota indicates that the amount of UV 2000; Lannoo, 2000). Chemical among southern leopard frogs, a species radiation penetrating to the 10-centimeter combinations may be mixtures of natural not found in Minnesota (Sparling, 2000). depth in pond water is related to the and human-made organic chemicals, each percentage of malformed frogs in the pond of which is harmless on its own but toxic Endocrine disruptors also are being (Little, 1999). Some scientists theorize when combined (Burkhart and others, studied to determine if they are responsible that human-made or natural organic 2000). The number of possible for some of the frog malformations in compounds present in Minnesota wetlands combinations of chemicals, biological, and Minnesota.
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