PLATINUM The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles online OPEN ACCESS every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton. Journal of Threatened Taxa Building evidence for conservaton globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Communication Amphibian abnormalities and threats in pristine ecosystems in Sri Lanka G.K.V.P.T. Silva, W.A.D. Mahaulpatha & Anslem de Silva 26 December 2019 | Vol. 11 | No. 15 | Pages: 15004–15014 DOI: 10.11609/jot.5394.11.15.15004-15014 For Focus, Scope, Aims, Policies, and Guidelines visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-0 For Artcle Submission Guidelines, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions For Policies against Scientfc Misconduct, visit htps://threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/about/editorialPolicies#custom-2 For reprints, contact <[email protected]> The opinions expressed by the authors do not refect the views of the Journal of Threatened Taxa, Wildlife Informaton Liaison Development Society, Zoo Outreach Organizaton, or any of the partners. The journal, the publisher, the host, and the part- Publisher & Host ners are not responsible for the accuracy of the politcal boundaries shown in the maps by the authors. Partner Member Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 December 2019 | 11(15): 15004–15014 Amphibian abnormalities and threats in pristine ecosystems Communication in Sri Lanka ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) 1 2 3 ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) G.K.V.P.T. Silva , W.A.D. Mahaulpatha & Anslem de Silva PLATINUM 1, 2 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Gangodawila, Nugegoda, OPEN ACCESS Sri Lanka. 315/1, Dolosbage Road, Gampola (Central Province), Sri Lanka. 1 [email protected], 2 [email protected] (corresponding author), 3 [email protected] (corresponding author) Abstract: Amphibian abnormalites are caused by numerous etologies prevailing in the environment. Since amphibians are good bio indicators of the environment, amphibian abnormalites are popularly known as a veritable ecological screening tool to assess ecosystem health. The present study was carried out encompassing within and outside the Horton Plains Natonal Park areas, from January to November 2017. Distributon of amphibian morphological abnormalites were assessed in and around the fve lentc water bodies through gross visual encounter. Six quadrates of 1m×2m were randomly placed in each sampling site. Frequency and compositon of amphibian abnormalites were assessed in a total of 694 amphibians, belonging to four families and 11 species. Thereby, 4.5% and 80.87% abnormality indexes were accounted for respectvely within and outside the park, comprehended surfcial abnormalites, ectromelia and femoral projecton abnormality types. Surfcial abnormalites were the most predominant in both localites, generally occurring at the hind limb region of pre-mature stages of Taruga eques. Two lentc water bodies were identfed as “abnormality hotspots” within and outside the Horton Plains Natonal park; however, a multplicity of possible combinatons of potental causes of abnormalites were present in the environment. Hence, fnding the exact causes of amphibian abnormalites are an extremely difcult exercise in the feld. Keywords: Abnormality, Horton Plains Natonal Park, morphological, Taruga eques. Abbreviatons: DWC—Department of Wildlife Conservaton | GPS—Global Positoning System | HPNP—Horton Plains Natonal Park | IUCN—Internatonal Union for Conservaton of Nature | OHPNP—Outside the Horton Plains Natonal Park | RH—Relatve Humidity | T amb—Ambient temperature | Tw—Water temperature. DOI: htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.5394.11.15.15004-15014 Editor: Neelesh Dahanukar, Indian Insttutes of Science Educaton and Research (IISER), Pune, India. Date of publicaton: 26 December 2019 (online & print) Manuscript details: #5394 | Received 08 January 2019 | Final received 06 November 2019 | Finally accepted 07 December 2019 Citaton: Silva, G.K.V.P.T., W.A.D. Mahaulpatha & A. de Silva (2019). Amphibian abnormalites and threats in pristne ecosystems in Sri Lanka. Journal of Threatened Taxa 11(15): 15004–15014. htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.5394.11.15.15004-15014 Copyright: © Silva et al. 2019. Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of this artcle in any medium by adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton. Funding: University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Competng interests: The authors declare no competng interests. Author details: G.K.V.P.T Silva is a graduate student from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura with BSc (Special) in Zoology and presently working as the department research assistant on wildlife management and conservaton engaged with the “Wildlife Circle”, Department of Zoology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Prof. W.A.D. Mahaulpatha is a researcher and a professor of zoology at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. She has undertaken many pieces of research in wildlife conservaton and management including ornithology, herpetology and mammalogy, and she has more than a hundred publicatons. As result she received the Presidental Award in 2018. Anslem de Silva MSc. DSc. has contributed approximately 425 papers. This includes about 50 books and the latest book was “Naturalist Guide to Reptles of Sri Lanka’ (2017) published in the United Kingdom. He has received the Presidental Award for scientfc publicaton four tmes. He is currently working as regional chairman of the Crocodile Specialist Group IUCN for South Asia and Iran. Author contributon: All authors contributed equally. GKVPTS was the main researcher on this research project, feld sampling, data collecton, data analysis and preparaton of the paper. WADM was the supervisor of this piece of research and provided immense guidance and support from the initaton of the project untl the completon, with her valuable experience and knowledge. AdS provided some important relevant literature and valuable suggestons with his expertse in feld studies, which contributed a lot to improve parts in the methodology secton and to prepare the manuscript. Acknowledgements: I would like to thank the Department of Wildlife Conservaton for providing me the permission to conduct this research within and outside the Horton Plains Natonal Park (WL/3/2/28/17) and staf of Horton Plains Natonal Park for the received immense support. I would like to extend my grattude to Prof. (Mr.) M. Lannoo, Prof. (Mrs.) R. Rajakaruna and Dr. (Mr.) K. Ukuwela for their comments and valuable suggestons. I greatly appreciate the support that I received from all the members of wildlife circle of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Department of Zoology. 15004 Amphibian abnormalites and threats in pristne ecosystems in Sri Lanka Silva et al. INTRODUCTION deformed amphibians (Gillilland & Muzzall 1999). There is a considerable efect on anuran abnormalites “Abnormality” refers to “any deviaton from normal from predators existng in natural environments morphology, independent of whether its origin was (Johnson & Bowerman 2010). Most of these amphibian developmental or acquired afer proper development” abnormalites are caused by aquatc predators such as (Lunde & Johnson 2012). Both amphibian malformatons dragonfy larvae (Bowerman & Johnson 2010; Johnson and deformites are included in amphibian abnormalites & Bowerman 2010), small fshes, crabs, crayfshes (Reeves et al. 2008). Amphibian abnormalites can be (Johnson et al. 2001a, 2006), diving beetles, predatory classifed mainly as surfcial abnormalites (infectous odonate nymphs and water scorpions (Ballengee & diseases/cysts and wounds), skeletal abnormalites and Sessions 2009). Smaller aquatc predators (insect larvae, eye abnormalites (Linder 2003; Reeves et al. 2008). small fshes) atack the exposed portons of larval and Amphibian abnormalites have interconnected with metamorphosis stages of anurans such as the tail or many factors including, chemical contaminants (Bridges limbs (Bowerman & Johnson 2010). A traumatc loss of et al. 2004; Lunde & Johnson 2012), trematode, cestode, an entre limb (Lannoo 2008), however, and wounds of and nematode parasites (Ankley et al. 2004; Imasuen & amphibians can be seen afer the metamorphosis which Ozemoka 2012), predators (Johnson et al. 2006; Johnson are produced by the atack of large vertebrate predators & Bowerman 2010) and UV (Ultraviolet) radiaton (Bowerman & Johnson 2010). (Blaustein & Johnson 2003; Lannoo 2008). Leech atack causes some of the abnormalites of Anthropogenic actvites have been recognized as a amphibians and many abnormality studies have proved main element for the modifcaton of aquatc habitats that leech atacks cause a high prevalence of missing (Johnson & Chase 2004). Especially nutrient loading in limbs (ectromelia) or parts of the limbs (Johnson et freshwater ecosystems (partcularly ponds) directs to al. 2001a, 2002, 2006; Ballengee & Sessions 2009; the acceleraton of eutrophicaton that result in shifing Bowerman & Johnson 2010). the community compositon.