DOCSLIB.ORG

The Use of Bioacoustics in Anuran Taxonomy: Theory, Terminology, Methods and Recommendations for Best Practice

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Use of Bioacoustics in Anuran Taxonomy: Theory, Terminology, Methods and Recommendations for Best Practice Zootaxa 4251 (1): 001–124 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Monograph ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2017 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4251.1.1 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AB112ABA-D228-4E0F-B64D-371BE55C2FDA ZOOTAXA 4251 The use of bioacoustics in anuran taxonomy: theory, terminology, methods and recommendations for best practice JÖRN KÖHLER1, MARTIN JANSEN2, ARIEL RODRÍGUEZ3,4, PHILIPPE J. R. KOK5,6, LUÍS FELIPE TOLEDO7, MIKE EMMRICH8, FRANK GLAW9, CÉLIO F. B. HADDAD10, MARK-OLIVER RÖDEL8 & MIGUEL VENCES3,* 1Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Friedensplatz 1, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] 2Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] 3Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] 4Present address: Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), Bünteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany 5Amphibian Evolution Lab, Biology Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 2 Pleinlaan, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. E-mail: [email protected] 6Department of Recent Vertebrates, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 29 rue Vautier, 1000 Brussels, Belgium 7Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia (IB), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), 13083-970, Caixa Postal 6109, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] 8Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany. E-mail:[email protected], [email protected] 9Zoologische Staatssammlung München (ZSM-SNSB), Münchhausenstr. 21, 81247 München, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] 10Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências and Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP), Câmpus Rio Claro, 13506-900 Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil. E-mail:[email protected] *Corresponding author Magnolia Press Auckland, New Zealand Accepted by P. Simoes: 16 Jan. 2017; published: 11 Apr. 2017 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 JÖRN KÖHLER, MARTIN JANSEN, ARIEL RODRÍGUEZ, PHILIPPE J. R. KOK, LUÍS FELIPE TOLEDO, MIKE EMMRICH, FRANK GLAW, CÉLIO F. B. HADDAD, MARK-OLIVER RÖDEL & MIGUEL VENCES The use of bioacoustics in anuran taxonomy: theory, terminology, methods and recommendations for best practice ( Zootaxa 4251) 124 pp.; 30 cm. 11 Apr. 2017 ISBN 978-1-77670-116-2 (paperback) ISBN 978-1-77670-117-9 (Online edition) FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2017 BY Magnolia Press P.O. Box 41-383 Auckland 1346 New Zealand e-mail: [email protected] http://www.mapress.com/j/zt © 2017 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5326 (Print edition) ISSN 1175-5334 (Online edition) 2 · Zootaxa 4251 (1) © 2017 Magnolia Press KÖHLER ET AL. Table of contents Abstract . 4 Introduction . 4 Terminology of sounds and sound production . 5 Sound production in anurans. 5 Functional categories of anuran vocalizations . 12 Spectral and temporal variables in anuran vocalizations . 14 Sound categories in anuran calls . 18 Units and terms recommended for the description of anuran calls . 20 Call-centered and note-centered terminological schemes. 23 Intraspecific variation in frog advertisement calls . 26 Variation within individuals . 29 Energetics and endocrine control . 29 Static and dynamic call traits . 29 Social context and acoustic environment . 30 Temperature . 31 Variation through time: body condition and fatigue . 32 Variation in call traits within and among breeding seasons . 33 Variation among individuals of the same population . 37 Body size and individual recognition . 38 Physical and physiological handicaps . 39 Variation among (geographically separate) conspecific populations . 39 Geography and genetics . 40 Adaptations to different environments . 41 Character displacement. 41 Effects of hybridization . 42 Species identification and delimitation by advertisement calls . 42 Interpretation of call differences in taxonomic practice . 44 Calling motivation . 44 Qualitative call differences . 46 Geographic setting, concordance and comparability . 47 Quantitative call differences: sympatry versus allopatry . 47 Usage of statistics in call comparisons . 50 Useful call traits in taxonomy . 51 Recommendations for call descriptions used in anuran taxonomy . 56 Verifiability of call recordings. 57 Voucher specimens and photos . 57 DNA barcoding . 58 Collection management of sound recordings . 59 Technical equipment and software for call recording and analysis. 60 Recording equipment . 60 Ultrasounds . 63 Available sound analysis software . 64 Automated recording and signal recognition . 66 Common pitfalls and recommendations for recording and editing sounds. 68 Conclusive remarks and future perspective . ..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Interactions Between Amphibian Skin Sloughing and a Cutaneous Fungal Disease
    Interactions between amphibian skin sloughing and a cutaneous fungal disease: infection progression, immune defence, and phylogenetic patterns Michel E. B. Ohmer BSc (Hons), MSc Zoology A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2016 School of Biological Sciences Abstract Worldwide, there has been an unprecedented rise in emerging infectious diseases of wildlife, and this has contributed to a widespread biodiversity crisis. Amphibian populations, in particular, are threatened by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which in post-metamorphic animals only infects the skin, and causes the potentially lethal disease chytridiomycosis. Amphibians regularly slough their skin, and in doing so remove many skin- associated microbes. Thus, skin sloughing may play an important role in the pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis. To investigate this association, the influence of Bd infection on amphibian skin sloughing, and the role of sloughing in regulating infection, was examined. Furthermore, to better understand the variation in skin sloughing rates across species and ecological groups, and make inferences about the role of this process in susceptibility to this fungal disease, amphibian skin structure and function was investigated within a phylogenetic context. To determine the relationship between skin sloughing and disease progression (chapter 2), adult green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea) were exposed to an Australian Bd strain, and sloughing rates and infection load were monitored on a naturalistic cycling temperature regime (15 - 23˚C). Sloughing rates were determined by filming frogs and infection intensity was monitored before and after sloughing with conventional swabbing and quantitative PCR. Sloughing rate was found to increase with Bd infection load in infected frogs, but sloughing itself did not affect Bd load on the ventral skin surface.
    [Show full text]
  • An Overdue Review and Reclassification of the Australasian
    AustralasianAustralasian JournalJournal ofof HerpetologyHerpetology ISSN 1836-5698 (Print) ISSN 1836-5779 (Online) Hoser, R. T. 2020. For the first time ever! An overdue review and reclassification of Australasian Tree Frogs (Amphibia: Anura: Pelodryadidae), including formal descriptions of 12 tribes, 11 subtribes, 34 genera, 26 subgenera, 62 species and 12 subspecies new to science. Australasian Journal of Herpetology 44-46:1-192. ISSUE 46, PUBLISHED 5 JUNE 2020 Hoser, R. T. 2020. For the first time ever! An overdue review and reclassification of Australasian Tree Frogs (Amphibia: Anura: Pelodryadidae), including formal descriptions of 12 tribes, 11 subtribes, 34 genera, 26 130 Australasiansubgenera, 62 species Journal and 12 subspecies of Herpetologynew to science. Australasian Journal of Herpetology 44-46:1-192. ... Continued from AJH Issue 45 ... zone of apparently unsuitable habitat of significant geological antiquity and are therefore reproductively Underside of thighs have irregular darker patches and isolated and therefore evolving in separate directions. hind isde of thigh has irregular fine creamish coloured They are also morphologically divergent, warranting stripes. Skin is leathery and with numerous scattered identification of the unnamed population at least to tubercles which may or not be arranged in well-defined subspecies level as done herein. longitudinal rows, including sometimes some of medium to large size and a prominent one on the eyelid. Belly is The zone dividing known populations of each species is smooth except for some granular skin on the lower belly only about 30 km in a straight line. and thighs. Vomerine teeth present, but weakly P. longirostris tozerensis subsp. nov. is separated from P.
    [Show full text]
  • ARAZPA Amphibian Action Plan
    Appendix 1 to Murray, K., Skerratt, L., Marantelli, G., Berger, L., Hunter, D., Mahony, M. and Hines, H. 2011. Guidelines for minimising disease risks associated with captive breeding, raising and restocking programs for Australian frogs. A report for the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. ARAZPA Amphibian Action Plan Compiled by: Graeme Gillespie, Director Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria; Russel Traher, Amphibian TAG Convenor, Curator Healesville Sanctuary Chris Banks, Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria. February 2007 1 1. Background Amphibian species across the world have declined at an alarming rate in recent decades. According to the IUCN at least 122 species have gone extinct since 1980 and nearly one third of the world’s near 6,000 amphibian species are classified as threatened with extinction, placing the entire class at the core of the current biodiversity crisis (IUCN, 2006). Australasia too has experienced significant declines; several Australian species are considered extinct and nearly 25% of the remainder are threatened with extinction, while all four species native to New Zealand are threatened. Conventional causes of biodiversity loss, habitat destruction and invasive species, are playing a major role in these declines. However, emergent disease and climate change are strongly implicated in many declines and extinctions. These factors are now acting globally, rapidly and, most disturbingly, in protected and near pristine areas. Whilst habitat conservation and mitigation of threats in situ are essential, for many taxa the requirement for some sort of ex situ intervention is mounting. In response to this crisis there have been a series of meetings organised by the IUCN (World Conservation Union), WAZA (World Association of Zoos & Aquariums) and CBSG (Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, of the IUCN Species Survival Commission) around the world to discuss how the zoo community can and should respond.
    [Show full text]
  • Spotted Tree Frog Litoria Spenceri Review of Current Information in NSW July 2008
    NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Spotted Tree Frog Litoria spenceri Review of Current Information in NSW July 2008 Current status: The Spotted Tree Frog Litoria spenceri is currently listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and Threatened in Victoria under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act). The NSW Scientific Committee recently determined that the Spotted Tree Frog meets criteria for listing as Critically Endangered in NSW under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act), based on information contained in this report and other information available for the species. Species description: The following description was taken directly from Cogger 2000: ‘…grey to olive-green above, with irregular darker mottling or marbling, the latter often forming irregular cross-bands on the limbs. Ventral surface white or yellow. Lower and concealed surface of limbs yellowish. Skin shagreened, with a few tiny whitish tubercles on the back becoming numerous on the sides. Skin granular below. Small but prominent vomerine teeth, mostly behind choanae. A slight pectoral fold. Finger and toes discs moderate, only a little wider than digits. Fingers with distinct basal webbing; toes fully webbed. A small but prominent inner metatarsal tubercle, no outer. Tympanum indistinct. Second finger larger than first, 45 mm. Taxonomy: Originally this species was described as Hyla maculata by Spencer (1901) from a specimen found in Powong, Victoria. Australian treefrogs previously referred to the genus Hyla are now placed within the genus Litoria (Tyler, 1971). The species was renamed as Litoria spenceri by Dubois (1984) when it was demonstrated that the name ‘Litoria maculata’ had been used previously for another species.
    [Show full text]
  • Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation and Safety Upgrade Project
    Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation and Safety Upgrade Project Prepared by Phil Spark North West Ecological Services For WaterNSW Decemeber 2015 The information presented in this report is based on an objective study undertaken in response to a brief provided by the client. While every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of the report, the variability of the natural environment and the paucity of comparative research data may require that professional judgement be applied in reaching conclusions. Any opinions expressed in the report are the professional opinions of the author Philip Spark of North West Ecological Services. They are not intended to advocate any specific proposal or position. Philip Spark____________________ ___24 December 2015__ Author Date Philip Spark North West Ecological Services 112 Back Nundle Rd Tamworth 2340 Ph. 02‐67642245 Mob. 0427642245 Email: [email protected] Cover photo shows the Booroolong Frog at hotspot 4 in the offset property Rhuvieg, such wide rocky riffles zones are ideal habitat for the Booroolong Frog. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was prepared with the assistance of Dr Andrew Stauber and Dr Elizabeth Broese van Groenou, and comments from the review committee of Tim Watts North West Local Land Services, Andrew Cruckshank Public Works, and Jubrahil Khan WaterNSW. This report should be cited as North West Ecological Services (2015). Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation and Safety Upgrade Project. Prepared for WaterNSW Booroolong Frog Offset Plan for Chaffey Dam Augmentation_Rev3 24 December 2015 Page 2 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ 9 1‐0. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 14 Decline of the Booroolong Frog .......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Statement of Intent 2: Infection of Frogs by Amphibian Chytrid Causing the Disease Chytridiomycosis 1
    Statement of Intent 2: Infection of frogs by amphibian chytrid causing the disease chytridiomycosis Cover photo: Spotted tree frog (Litoria spenceri) being swabbed (Stuart Cohen, DECC) Published by: Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW 59–61 Goulburn Street, Sydney PO Box A290, Sydney South 1232 Phone: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard) Phone: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests) Phone: 1300 361 967 (national parks information and publications requests) Fax: (02) 9995 5999 TTY: (02) 9211 4723 Email: [email protected] Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au ISBN 978 1 74232 367 1 DECCW 2009/479 September 2009 Printed on recycled paper Contents 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................1 2. Distribution....................................................................................................................2 3. Biology and ecology of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis..............................................4 4. Disease symptoms .......................................................................................................6 5. Impacts on biodiversity .................................................................................................7 Across Australia................................................................................................7 Across New South Wales .................................................................................7 6. What is being done nationally?...................................................................................10
    [Show full text]
  • Litoria Booroolongensis): Implications for Threatened Species Management in the Rural Landscape of Southeastern Australia
    Herpetological Conservation and Biology 8(1):122 – 130. Submitted: 14 July 2011; Accepted: 11 February 2013; Published: 30 April 2013. MULTISCALE HABITAT ASSESSMENT FOR THE ENDANGERED BOOROOLONG FROG (LITORIA BOOROOLONGENSIS): IMPLICATIONS FOR THREATENED SPECIES MANAGEMENT IN THE RURAL LANDSCAPE OF SOUTHEASTERN AUSTRALIA 1,2 3 DAVID HUNTER AND MICHAEL J. SMITH 1New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage, PO Box 733, Queanbeyan 2620, Australia; 2Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia 31/10 Leonora Street, Como, 6798, Australia 4Corresponding author email: [email protected] Abstract.—Effective management of threatened species typically requires an adequate knowledge of key habitat requirements, particularly for species occurring in highly modified landscapes that are intensively managed by humans. With a view to informing habitat management and restoration along rivers in rural landscapes occupied by the endangered Booroolong Frog (Litoria booroolongensis) in southeastern Australia, we examined patterns of habitat use at both the stream-reach and breeding-habitat scales to identify factors that explain variation in occupancy. To achieve this, we undertook repeated spotlight surveys, and subsequently compared habitat features between occupied and unoccupied sections of stream. Detectability of L. booroolongensis at the stream-reach scale was 1.00 (SE = 0.001), and 0.92 (SE = 0.026) at the breeding-habitat scale. At the stream-reach scale we identified a positive relationship between the occurrence of L. booroolongensis with total length of rocky habitat and average water depth, and a negative relationship with increasing canopy closure. At the breeding-habitat scale, we observed a positive relationship with rocky habitat length and abundance of aquatic rock crevices, and a negative relationship with water depth and presence of exotic willows (Salix sp.).
    [Show full text]
  • Assessing the Population Status of the Endangered Booroolong Frog (Litoria Booroolongensis) in Areas Subject to Non-Native Trout Stocking
    Assessing the Population Status of the Endangered Booroolong Frog (Litoria booroolongensis) in Areas Subject to Non-Native Trout Stocking. Prepared by David Hunter and Rod Pietsch Biodiversity Conservation Section Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) PO Box 2115, Queanbeyan NSW 2620 Emails: [email protected] [email protected] Unpublished Report to the NSW Department of Primary Industries July, 2008 Trout Stocking and the Endangered Booroolong Frog Summary The range of the Booroolong frog (Litoria booroolongensis) has greatly contracted over the past 25 years, and as a consequence, this species is currently listed as endangered at both the State and National level. A number of factors have been suggested as contributing to this decline, including; disease caused by infection with the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), habitat degradation, and predation by exotic fish species. This study was contracted to assess the likely impact of trout stocking on the Booroolong frog in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales. There were two primary components to this study: The first was to assess whether the Booroolong frog has persisted in areas where trout stocking has been undertaken in recent years. The second was to assess the infection status of Booroolong frog populations for the amphibian chytrid fungus, as the transport and release of fingerling trout has the capacity to spread this potentially virulent amphibian pathogen. We found Booroolong frogs present along sections of stream immediately adjacent to, or within, areas where trout stocking currently occurs. Given the long history of trout stocking in these areas, this result suggests that Booroolong frogs are capable of persisting in the presence of trout stocking.
    [Show full text]
  • National Recovery Plan for Booroolong Frog Litoria Booroolongensis
    National Recovery Plan for Booroolong Frog Litoria booroolongensis © Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW), 2012. This work is copyright. However, material presented in this plan may be copied for personal use or published for educational purposes, providing that any extracts are fully acknowledged. Apart from this and any other use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW). Prepared by: David Hunter Biodiversity Conservation Section Environment Protection and Regulation Group Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW) PO Box 2115 Queanbeyan NSW 2620 Tel: 02 6229 7115 Recovery plan was prepared by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage with financial support from the Australian Government to be adopted as a national recovery plan under the provisions of the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This recovery plan was prepared in accordance with the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995, and the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, 1988. This plan should be cited as follows: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (2012). National Recovery Plan for Booroolong Frog (Litoria booroolongensis) Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW), Hurstville. ISBN: 978 1 74232 838 6 OEH: 2010/567 Cover Photo: © David Hunter DISCLAIMER The attainment of objectives and the provision of funds may be subject to budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved, and may also be constrained by the need to address other conservation priorities. Approved recovery actions may be subject to modifications due to changes in knowledge and changes in conservation status.
    [Show full text]
  • Myxosporean Parasites in Australian Frogs and Tadpoles
    Myxosporean Parasites in Australian Frogs and Tadpoles Ashlie Hartigan B Sc. (Zoology), M App Sci (Wildlife Health and Pop. Mgmt) Thesis by published works This thesis is submitted in full satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney. Faculty of Veterinary Science University of Sydney March 2012 Statement of authentication This thesis is submitted to the University of Sydney in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in full or in part, for a degree at this or any other institution. Signed: Date: ii Abstract The investigation of new threats to amphibian conservation is a priority of researchers and wildlife managers. Emerging infectious diseases are one of the most threatening processes to wildlife around the world including amphibians. Australian frogs have suffered large scale declines and extinctions from pathogens such as chytrid fungus (Batrochochytrium dendrobatidis). The once overly abundant Green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) has declined over 90% of its range with disease listed as a key threat. A routine pathogen screen of tadpoles from a captive breeding population of Green and golden bell frogs found an unknown parasitic infection in the brains, bile ducts and gallbladders of tadpoles (later confirmed as Myxosporea). It was this preliminary identification that was the impetus for my thesis. Myxosporean parasites found in Australian frog gallbladders were thought to be Cystodiscus immersus from Central and South America.
    [Show full text]
  • Frogs Native Fauna of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area
    NATIVE FAUNA OF THE GREATER BLUE MOUNTAINS WORLD HERITAGE AREA FROGS NATIVE FAUNA OF THE GREATER BLUE MOUNTAINS WORLD HERITAGE AREA FROGS Version 3 Judy Smith and Peter Smith March 2017 This project was supported through funding from the Australian Government’s Community Heritage and Icons Grants Programme © Judy and Peter Smith 2017. This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced or distributed by any process, nor stored in any database or retrieval system, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the prior written permission of Judy and Peter Smith. Cover illustration of Blue Mountains Tree Frog by Kate Smith [email protected] Contents Page Introduction 1 Map of Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area 2 Table of species 3 Species accounts 5 Sources 14 Introduction The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area comprises eight reserves: Blue Mountains, Gardens of Stone, Kanangra-Boyd, Nattai, Thirlmere Lakes, Wollemi and Yengo National Parks, and Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve. The area was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000 because its natural values, including the diversity of its fauna, were considered to be outstanding at international level. In 1998, when the nomination of the Greater Blue Mountains Area for inscription on the World Heritage List was prepared for the Australian Government, it was well known that the area provided habitat for a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. However, details of the vertebrate fauna were sketchy. The nomination indicated that about 400 native terrestrial vertebrate fauna species had been recorded in the area, including 52 mammal, 265 bird, 63 reptile and more than 30 frog species.
    [Show full text]
  • Prior Infection Does Not Improve Survival Against the Amphibian Disease Chytridiomycosis
    Prior Infection Does Not Improve Survival against the Amphibian Disease Chytridiomycosis Scott D. Cashins1*, Laura F. Grogan1, Michael McFadden2, David Hunter3, Peter S. Harlow2, Lee Berger1, Lee F. Skerratt1 1 James Cook University, School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 2 Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Herpetofauna Division, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia, 3 New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage, Biodiversity Conservation Section, Queanbeyan, Australia Abstract Many amphibians have declined globally due to introduction of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Hundreds of species, many in well-protected habitats, remain as small populations at risk of extinction. Currently the only proven conservation strategy is to maintain species in captivity to be reintroduced at a later date. However, methods to abate the disease in the wild are urgently needed so that reintroduced and wild animals can survive in the presence of Bd. Vaccination has been widely suggested as a potential strategy to improve survival. We used captive-bred offspring of critically endangered booroolong frogs (Litoria booroolongensis) to test if vaccination in the form of prior infection improves survival following re exposure. We infected frogs with a local Bd isolate, cleared infection after 30 days (d) using itraconazole just prior to the onset of clinical signs, and then re-exposed animals to Bd at 110 d. We found prior exposure had no effect on survival or infection intensities, clearly showing that real infections do not stimulate a protective adaptive immune response in this species. This result supports recent studies suggesting Bd may evade or suppress host immune functions.
    [Show full text]