Traumatic Injuries in Two Neotropical Frogs, Dendrobates auratus and Physalaemus pustulosus

Gray, Heather M.; Ouellet, Martin; Green, David M.; Rand, A. Stanley

doi:10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0117:tiitnf]2.0.co;2

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…We examined 1698 additional specimens captured alive in Québec between 1990 and 2001. We also evaluated tissue samples (n = 157) gathered in 1998 and 1999 from the Republic of Panama (Gray et al 2002). The animals we examined were from the Mont Saint-Hilaire Biosphere Reserve (n = 797) and other locations in Québec (n = 1201), 10 other Canadian provinces or territories (n = 623), 21 American states (n = 310), and 23 other countries (n = 440).…”

Section: Amphibian Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical Evidence of Widespread Chytrid Infection in North American Amphibian Populations

Ouellet¹,

Mikaelian²,

Pauli³

et al. 2005

Conservation Biology

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Emerging infectious diseases may be contributing to the global decline of amphibian populations. In particular, chytridiomycosis, a cutaneous fungal infection of amphibians caused by the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, gained attention in the 1990s as an apparently new pathogen. This fungus has been implicated as the causative agent of widespread mortalities among wild amphibians in geographically disparate parts of the world. To investigate the global distribution, historical occurrence, and infectiousness of this pathogen, we examined 3371 postmetamorphic and adult amphibians collected between 1895 and 2001 from 25 countries for the presence of chytrid fungi in the epidermis. Cutaneous chytrid infection was diagnosed in 383 of 2931 (13.1%) specimens of 12 common amphibian species from five Canadian provinces and seven American states, including 30 of 69 locations examined in the St. Lawrence River Valley of Québec. Chytrids were observed in 7.0% (46/655) of the adults collected in the 1960s, the earliest cases being two green frogs ( Rana clamitans) collected in 1961 from Saint-Pierre-de-Wakefield, Québec. In recent studies, morbidity and mortality attributable to chytridiomycosis were not observed in infected amphibians from Québec despite a 17.8% (302/1698) prevalence of chytrid infection during the period 1990-2001. The prevalence of infection during this latter period was not statistically different when compared with the period 1960-1969. Epidermal chytrid infections were not observed in 440 amphibians examined from 23 other countries. In light of the fact that infection by B. dendrobatidis is widely distributed and apparently enzootic in seemingly healthy amphibians from eastern North America, lethal outbreaks of chytridiomycosis among amphibian populations appear to have complex causes and may be the result of underlying predisposing factors. Resumen: Las enfermedades infecciosas emergentes pueden estar contribuyendo a la declinación global de poblaciones de anfibios. En particular, la quitridiomicosis, una infección fungosa cutánea en anfibios provocada por el quitridio Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, atrajo la atención en la década de 1990 como un patógeno aparentemente nuevo. Este hongo ha sido implicado como el agente causal de extensas mortalidades en anfibios silvestres en sitios geográficamente dispares en el mundo. Para investigar la distribución global, la ocurrencia histórica y el nivel infeccioso de este patógeno, examinamos a 3371 anfibios postmetamórficos y adultos, recolectados entre 1895 y 2001 en 25 países, para detectar la presencia de hongos quitridios en la epidermis. Diagnosticamos quitridiomicosis cutánea en 383 de 2931 (13.1%) de especimenes de especies comunes de anfibios de cinco provincias Canadienses y siete estados de E. U. A., incluyendo 30 de 69 1432 Chytrid Infection in Wild Amphibians Ouellet et al. examinadas en el Valle del Río San Lorenzo de Québec. Observamos quitridios en 7.0% (46/655) de los adultos recolectados en la década de 1960, los primeros casos corresp...

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Section: Amphibian Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical Evidence of Widespread Chytrid Infection in North American Amphibian Populations

Ouellet¹,

Mikaelian²,

Pauli³

et al. 2005

Conservation Biology

Self Cite

195

191

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Most predation occurs near or in the water (Toledo, 2005) in the breeding season, when the majority of species enter the water and consequently become accessible to potential aquatic predators (Bastos et al, 1994;Haddad & Bastos, 1997;Toledo, 2003). Among these predators are several species of freshwater and forest crabs, which can predate on the tadpoles (Gray & Christy, 2000) and frogs (Hayes, 1983), or at least mutilate their limbs or digits (Duellman & Trueb, 1994;Gray et al, 2002). Freshwater crabs are important organisms in food webs of tropical environments, where they act as detritivores or primary and secondary consumers, and can become either predators on, or prey for, other invertebrates (Hayes, 1983;Dobson et al, 2002;Marijnissen et al, 2009;Klaus & Plath, 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sublethal attacks normally occur when the predators are similar in size to, or smaller than, their prey (Schoener, 1979). Gray et al (2002) stated that the most likely cause of injuries in frogs is attack by invertebrates such as ants, crabs, or spiders, which are neither prey nor predators but share the same habitat.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several cases of abnormalities in frogs and sublethal predation on frogs by many groups of vertebrates and invertebrates have been reported around the world (Duellman & Trueb, 1994;Gray et al, 2002;Bowerman et al, 2010). Most studies on traumatic injuries of anurans have been conducted in temperate regions (Martof, 1956;Dubois, 1979;Ouellet, 2000), and some investigators have suggested that missing limbs or deformities may have been caused by predators (Martof, 1956;Bohl, 1997;Sessions, 2003;Eaton et al, 2004;Bowerman et al, 2010).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most studies on traumatic injuries of anurans have been conducted in temperate regions (Martof, 1956;Dubois, 1979;Ouellet, 2000), and some investigators have suggested that missing limbs or deformities may have been caused by predators (Martof, 1956;Bohl, 1997;Sessions, 2003;Eaton et al, 2004;Bowerman et al, 2010). However, it is not known if sublethal predation events are the main cause of traumatic injuries in amphibians (Meteyer et al, 2000;Gray et al, 2002;Skelly et al, 2007;Ballengée & Sessions, 2009), and this question remains open for frog populations in the Upper Paraná River floodplain as well.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Predation on Frogs by the Introduced Crab Dilocarcinus pagei Stimpson, 1861 (Decapoda, Trichodactylidae) on a Neotropical Floodplain

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2011

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Explanation for missing limbs in deformed amphibians

Ballengée

Sessions

2009

J Exp Zool Pt B

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We present evidence that the most commonly found deformities in wild-caught amphibians, those featuring missing limbs and missing limb segments, may be the result of selective predation. Here we report that predatory dragonfly nymphs can severely injure and even fully amputate developing hind limbs of anuran tadpoles. Developmental responses of the injured/amputated tadpole limbs range from complete regeneration to no regeneration, with intermediate conditions represented by various idiosyncratic limb deformities, depending mainly on the developmental stage of the tadpole at the time of injury/amputation. These findings were reinforced by experimental amputations of anuran tadpole hind limbs that resulted in similar deformities. Our studies suggest that selective predation by dragonfly nymphs and other aquatic predators may play a significant role in the most common kinds of limb deformities found in natural populations of amphibians.

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Traumatic Injuries in Two Neotropical Frogs, Dendrobates auratus and Physalaemus pustulosus

Cited by 10 publications

References 11 publications

Historical Evidence of Widespread Chytrid Infection in North American Amphibian Populations

Historical Evidence of Widespread Chytrid Infection in North American Amphibian Populations

Predation on Frogs by the Introduced Crab Dilocarcinus pagei Stimpson, 1861 (Decapoda, Trichodactylidae) on a Neotropical Floodplain

Explanation for missing limbs in deformed amphibians

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