Publications

the midwife toad and alma mahler: epigenetics or a matter of deception?		2010	20679074
did paul kammerer discover epigenetic inheritance? no and why not.	in a recent article in this journal, alexander vargas presents a new, epigenetic explanation of paul kammerer's controversial midwife toad experiments, but he has constructed his model without first reading kammerer's original articles. a look at the articles shows that vargas is seriously misinformed about what kammerer did and what the results even were. his model simply cannot explain the results as they were originally reported and it cannot easily be corrected. similarly, vargas' historical ...	2010	20853422
can epigenetics solve the case of the midwife toad?--a comment on vargas.	in a recent article in this journal, a. o. vargas (2009. j exp zool b (mol dev evol) 312:667-678) suggests to interpret the controversial midwife toad experiments of the early 20th century zoologist paul kammerer in the context of epigenetic inheritance. for information on kammerer's work he resorts to a popular science book (kammerer, '24. the inheritance of acquired characteristics). however, the study of kammerer's original publications reveals that there are substantial misunderstandings in ...	2010	20922771
permanent genetic resources added to molecular ecology resources database 1 december 2010-31 january 2011.	this article documents the addition of 238 microsatellite marker loci to the molecular ecology resources database. loci were developed for the following species: alytes dickhilleni, arapaima gigas, austropotamobius italicus, blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, cobitis lutheri, dendroctonus ponderosae, glossina morsitans morsitans, haplophilus subterraneus, kirengeshoma palmata, lysimachia japonica, macrolophus pygmaeus, microtus cabrerae, mytilus galloprovincialis, pallisentis (neosentis) celatus, ...	2011	21457476
conformational and membrane interaction studies of the antimicrobial peptide alyteserin-1c and its analogue [e4k]alyteserin-1c.	alyteserin-1c (glkeifkaglgslvkgiaahvas.nh(2)), first isolated from skin secretions of the midwife toad alytes obstetricans, shows selective growth-inhibitory activity against gram-negative bacteria. the structures of alyteserin-1c and its more potent and less haemolytic analogue [e4k]alyteserin-1c were investigated in various solution and membrane mimicking environments by proton nmr spectroscopy and molecular modelling. in aqueous solution, the peptide displays a lack of secondary structure but ...	2011	21565166
ambient ultraviolet b radiation and prevalence of infection by batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in two amphibian species.	ôçé chytridiomycosis, the emerging disease caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is responsible for declines and extirpations of amphibian populations worldwide. environmental covariates modify the host-bd interaction and thus affect the ongoing spread of the pathogen. one such covariate may be the intensity of ultraviolet b (uv-b) radiation. in a field experiment conducted in laguna grande de pe+¦alara (central spain), a mountainous region where the presence of bd has ...	2011	21676032
ranavirus-associated mass mortality in wild amphibians, the netherlands, 2010: a first report.	in 2010, a mass die-off of over 1000 wild water frogs (pelophylax spp.) and at least 10 common newts (lissotriton vulgaris) occurred in a pond in the netherlands. haemorrhagic disease with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly was evident. microscopically, multiple organs presented cells with multifocal intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies, in which ranavirus-like particles were demonstrated ultrastructurally. all specimens examined tested positive for ranavirus by pcr. the sequence obtained showed a 100% ...	2011	21955440
the genome sequence of the emerging common midwife toad virus identifies an evolutionary intermediate within ranaviruses.	worldwide amphibian population declines have been ascribed to global warming, increasing pollution levels, and other factors directly related to human activities. these factors may additionally be favoring the emergence of novel pathogens. in this report, we have determined the complete genome sequence of the emerging common midwife toad ranavirus (cmtv), which has caused fatal disease in several amphibian species across europe. phylogenetic and gene content analyses of the first complete genomi ...	2012	22301140
analogues of the frog skin peptide alyteserin-2a with enhanced antimicrobial activities against gram-negative bacteria.	the emergence of strains of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria mandates a search for new types of antimicrobial agents. alyteserin-2a (ilgkllstaagllsnl.nh₂) is a cationic, α-helical peptide, first isolated from skin secretions of the midwife toad, alytes obstetricans, which displays relatively weak antimicrobial and haemolytic activities. increasing the cationicity of alyteserin-2a while maintaining amphipathicity by the substitution gly¹¹ → lys enhanced the potency against both gram-neg ...	2012	22392897
treatment of amphibians infected with chytrid fungus: learning from failed trials with itraconazole, antimicrobial peptides, bacteria, and heat therapy.	amphibian conservation goals depend on effective disease-treatment protocols. desirable protocols are species, life stage, and context specific, but currently few treatment options exist for amphibians infected with the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). treatment options, at present, include antifungal drugs and heat therapy, but risks of toxicity and side-effects make these options untenable in some cases. here, we report on the comparison of several novel treatments with a mo ...	2012	22422126
populations of a susceptible amphibian species can grow despite the presence of a pathogenic chytrid fungus.	disease can be an important driver of host population dynamics and epizootics can cause severe host population declines. batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), the pathogen causing amphibian chytridiomycosis, may occur epizootically or enzootically and can harm amphibian populations in many ways. while effects of bd epizootics are well documented, the effects of enzootic bd have rarely been described. we used a state-space model that accounts for observation error to test whether population trends ...	2012	22496836
antimicrobial peptides and alytesin are co-secreted from the venom of the midwife toad, alytes maurus (alytidae, anura): implications for the evolution of frog skin defensive secretions.	the skin secretions of frogs and toads (anura) have long been a known source of a vast abundance of bioactive substances. in the past decade, transcriptome data of the granular glands of anuran skin has given new impetus to investigations of the putative constituent peptides. alytes obstetricans was recently investigated and novel peptides with antimicrobial activity were isolated and functionally characterised. however, genetic data for the evolutionarily ancient lineage to which alytes belongs ...	2012	22800568
transformation of the naturally occurring frog skin peptide, alyteserin-2a into a potent, non-toxic anti-cancer agent.	alyteserin-2a (ilgkllstaagllsnl.nh(2)) is a cationic, amphipathic α-helical cell-penetrating peptide, first isolated from skin secretions of the midwife toad alytes obstetricans. structure-activity relationships were investigated by synthesizing analogs of alyteserin-2a in which amino acids on the hydrophobic face of the helix were replaced by l-tryptophan and amino acids on the hydrophilic face were replaced by one or more l-lysine or d-lysine residues. the trp-containing peptides display incre ...	2013	22965637
concurrent ranavirus and batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in captive frogs (phyllobates and dendrobates species), the netherlands, 2012: a first report.	a ranavirus infection with concurrent batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection and mortality in captive phyllobates and dendrobates species is reported. greyish skin with hepato- and reno-megaly were evident. microscopically, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was present in the stratum corneum of the hyperkeratotic skin. intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were present in erythrocytes and multiple organs. all samples examined tested positive using pcr for the major capsid protein (mcp) gene of ranavi ...	2012	23102620
propagation of natural toad calls in a mediterranean terrestrial environment.	propagation patterns of animal acoustic signals provide insights into the evolution of signal design to convey signaler's information to potential recipients. however, propagation properties of vertebrate calls have been rarely studied using natural calls from individuals; instead playback calls broadcast through loudspeakers have been used extensively, a procedure that may involve acoustical and physical features differing from natural sounds. measurements of the transmission characteristics of ...	2012	23231131
a non-invasive stress assay shows that tadpole populations infected with batrachochytrium dendrobatidis have elevated corticosterone levels.	batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is a fungus that causes the disease chytridiomycosis and is associated with widespread amphibian declines. populations vary in their susceptibility to bd infections, and the virulence of the infecting lineage can also vary. both of these factors may manifest as a differential physiological stress response. in addition, variation in disease susceptibility across amphibian populations may be influenced by immunosuppression caused by chronic stress imposed by env ...	2013	23418508
evidence for the introduction of lethal chytridiomycosis affecting wild betic midwife toads (alytes dickhilleni).	batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is an unpredictable pathogen for european amphibian species, and existing field surveillance studies likely underestimate the scope of its distribution and effects. mass mortality episodes recorded in europe indicate that investigations of unstudied species should focus on members of the frog family alytidae. here, we report the combined results of a field survey and laboratory observations of field collected alytes dickhilleni. our data support the hypothesis that ...	2013	23494771
laboratory tests of antifungal agents to treat tadpoles against the pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis .	the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), which is the etiological agent of the disease chytridiomycosis, is threatening both wild and captive amphibians. while there are some methods of treating amphibians in captivity, no method has yet been shown to be a promising treatment for amphibian populations in natural habitats. here we present the results of a laboratory experiment in which we tested 2 antifungal agents that might be used to treat amphibians in the field. as a first step toward ...	2013	23574705
selected emerging diseases of amphibia.	this review summarizes the most recent updates on emerging infectious diseases of amphibia. a brief summary of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis history, epidemiology, pathogenesis, life cycle, diagnosis, treatment, and biosecurity is provided. ambystoma tigrinum virus, common midwife toad virus, frog virus 3, rana grylio virus, rana catesbeiana ranavirus, mahaffey road virus, rana esculenta virus, bohle iridovirus, and tiger frog virus ranaviruses are extensively reviewed. emerging bacterial patho ...	2013	23642863
batrachochytrium salamandrivorans sp. nov. causes lethal chytridiomycosis in amphibians.	the current biodiversity crisis encompasses a sixth mass extinction event affecting the entire class of amphibians. the infectious disease chytridiomycosis is considered one of the major drivers of global amphibian population decline and extinction and is thought to be caused by a single species of aquatic fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. however, several amphibian population declines remain unexplained, among them a steep decrease in fire salamander populations (salamandra salamandra) th ...	2013	24003137
context-dependent amphibian host population response to an invading pathogen.	amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), is an emerging infectious disease that widely threatens amphibian biodiversity. however, population-level outcomes following the introduction of the pathogen are highly context dependent and are mediated by a broad suite of biotic and abiotic variables. here, we examine the effect of the introduction of bd on native island populations of the iucn red-listed amphibian species alytes muletensis, the mallo ...	2013	24015523
genetic attributes of midwife toad (alytes obstetricans) populations do not correlate with degree of species decline.	genetic diversity is crucial for long-term population persistence. population loss and subsequent reduction in migration rate among the most important processes that are expected to lead to a reduction in genetic diversity and an increase in genetic differentiation. while the theory behind this is well-developed, empirical evidence from wild populations is inconsistent. using microsatellite markers, we compared the genetic structure of populations of an amphibian species, the midwife toad (alyte ...	2013	24101974
batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in germany: distribution, prevalences, and prediction of high risk areas.	in germany, the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) was detected in 11 indigenous frog species, 4 newt species, and 1 salamander species in 64 out of the 181 locations (35%) investigated. among the 3450 samples collected between 2003 and 2011, 284 (8.2%) were positive for bd infections. the highest prevalences were observed in alytes obstetricans (17.8% of individuals, 20% of populations), followed by ichthyosaura alpestris (14.7%, 22.2%), bombina variegata (13.9%, 38.5%), and ...	2013	24270023
environmental determinants of recent endemism of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infections in amphibian assemblages in the absence of disease outbreaks.	the inconsistent distribution of large-scale infection mediated die-offs and the subsequent population declines of several animal species, urges us to understand how, when, and why species are affected by disease. it is often unclear when or under what conditions a pathogen constitutes a threat to a host. often, variation of environmental conditions plays a role. globally batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) causes amphibian declines; however, host responses are inconsistent and this fungus appea ...	2014	24641583
interacting symbionts and immunity in the amphibian skin mucosome predict disease risk and probiotic effectiveness.	pathogenesis is strongly dependent on microbial context, but development of probiotic therapies has neglected the impact of ecological interactions. dynamics among microbial communities, host immune responses, and environmental conditions may alter the effect of probiotics in human and veterinary medicine, agriculture and aquaculture, and the proposed treatment of emerging wildlife and zoonotic diseases such as those occurring on amphibians or vectored by mosquitoes. here we use a holistic measu ...	2014	24789229
virion-associated viral proteins of a chinese giant salamander (andrias davidianus) iridovirus (genus ranavirus) and functional study of the major capsid protein (mcp).	chinese giant salamander iridovirus (cgsiv) is the emerging causative agent to farmed chinese giant salamanders in nationwide china. cgsiv is a member of the common midwife toad ranavirus (cmtv) subset of the amphibian-like ranavirus (alrv) in the genus ranavirus of iridoviridae family. however, viral protein information on alrv is lacking. in this first proteomic analysis of alrv, 40 cgsiv viral proteins were detected from purified virus particles by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectromet ...	2014	24906872
multilocus assessment of phylogenetic relationships in alytes (anura, alytidae).	with the advent of large multilocus datasets, molecular systematics is experiencing very rapid progress, but important challenges remain regarding data analysis and interpretation. midwife toads (genus alytes) exemplify two of the most widespread problems for accurate phylogenetic reconstruction: discerning the causes of discordance between gene trees, and resolving short internodes produced during rapid, successive splitting events. the three species in subgenus baleaphryne (a. maurus, a. dickh ...	2014	24931729
complete genome sequence of a common midwife toad virus-like ranavirus associated with mass mortalities in wild amphibians in the netherlands.	a ranavirus associated with mass mortalities in wild water frogs (pelophylax spp.) and other amphibians in the netherlands since 2010 was isolated, and its complete genome sequence was determined. the virus has a genome of 107,772 bp and shows 96.5% sequence identity with the common midwife toad virus from spain.	2014	25540340
short term minimum water temperatures determine levels of infection by the amphibian chytrid fungus in alytes obstetricans tadpoles.	amphibians are one of the groups of wildlife most seriously threatened by emerging infectious disease. in particular, chytridiomycosis, caused by the aquatic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is responsible for amphibian species declines on a worldwide scale. population-level outcomes following the introduction of the pathogen are context dependent and mediated by a large suite of abiotic and biotic variables. in particular, studies have shown that temperature has a key role in determining ...	2015	25793985
elevated corticosterone levels and changes in amphibian behavior are associated with batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) infection and bd lineage.	few studies have examined the role hormones play in mediating clinical changes associated with infection by the parasite batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd). glucocorticoid (gc) hormones such as corticosteroids (cort) regulate homeostasis and likely play a key role in response to infection in amphibians. we explore the relationship between cort release rates and bd infection in tadpoles of the common midwife toad, alytes obstetricians, using a non-invasive water-borne hormone collection method a ...	2015	25893675
a new species of allobates (anura: aromobatidae) from parque nacional da amazônia, pará state, brazil.	we describe the fourth species of nurse-frog genus allobates occurring in the southeastern brazilian amazonia. the new species is sympatric with allobates femoralis, allobates masniger and allobates magnussoni, and inhabits the margins of streams in forested areas within parque nacional da amazônia, on the western bank of the tapajós river. snout-to-vent length ranges between 14.9-16.1 mm among males and 15.6-16.5 mm among females. the species is distinguished by the light brown background color ...	2015	26249969
multilocus phylogeography of the common midwife toad, alytes obstetricans (anura, alytidae): contrasting patterns of lineage diversification and genetic structure in the iberian refugium.	recent investigations on the evolutionary history of the common midwife toad (alytes obstetricans) revealed high levels of geographically structured genetic diversity but also a situation where delineation of major historical lineages and resolution of their relationships are much more complex than previously thought. we studied sequence variation in one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes throughout the entire distribution range of all recognized a. obstetricans subspecies to infer the evoluti ...	2015	26282950
infection and transmission heterogeneity of a multi-host pathogen (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) within an amphibian community.	the majority of parasites infect multiple hosts. as the outcome of the infection is different in each of them, most studies of wildlife disease focus on the few species that suffer the most severe consequences. however, the role that each host plays in the persistence and transmission of infection can be crucial to understanding the spread of a parasite and the risk it poses to the community. current theory predicts that certain host species can modulate the infection in other species by amplify ...	2016	26865231
ranavirus causes mass die-offs of alpine amphibians in the southwestern alps, france.	pathogenic fungi and viruses cause mortality outbreaks in wild amphibians worldwide. in the summer of 2012, dead tadpoles and adults of the european common frog rana temporaria were reported in alpine lakes in the southwestern alps (mercantour national park, france). a preliminary investigation using molecular diagnostic techniques identified a ranavirus as the potential pathogenic agent. three mortality events were recorded in the park, and samples were collected. the amphibian chytrid fungus b ...	2016	26967128
estimating effects of species interactions on populations of endangered species.	global change causes community composition to change considerably through time, with ever-new combinations of interacting species. to study the consequences of newly established species interactions, one available source of data could be observational surveys from biodiversity monitoring. however, approaches using observational data would need to account for niche differences between species and for imperfect detection of individuals. to estimate population sizes of interacting species, we exten ...	2016	27028074
assessing the ability of swab data to determine the true burden of infection for the amphibian pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.	batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) is a pathogenic fungus which causes the disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians by infecting the animals' epidermis. the most commonly applied method for the detection of bd is the use of a sterile swab, rubbed over the keratinized areas of an amphibian and then processed to yield dna for detection by qpcr. this method has been used to infer a threshold of lethal infection in some species; however, how reliable and reproducible the swabbing method is at detecti ...	2016	27060065
evaluation of mpeg-7-based audio descriptors for animal voice recognition over wireless acoustic sensor networks.	environmental audio monitoring is a huge area of interest for biologists all over the world. this is why some audio monitoring system have been proposed in the literature, which can be classified into two different approaches: acquirement and compression of all audio patterns in order to send them as raw data to a main server; or specific recognition systems based on audio patterns. the first approach presents the drawback of a high amount of information to be stored in a main server. moreover, ...	2016	27213375
invasive predator snake induces oxidative stress responses in insular amphibian species.	the presence of predators induces physiological stress responses in preys to avoid being captured. a stressful situation enhances reactive oxygen species production with potential damage to macromolecules and alterations in oxidant defences levels. the antioxidant enzyme response of the endemic majorcan midwife toad (alytes muletensis) and the balearic green toad (bufotes balearicus) tadpoles against an invasive predator, the viperine snake (natrix maura) was investigated. tadpoles were introduc ...	2016	27213671
investigation of amphibian mortality events in wildlife reveals an on-going ranavirus epidemic in the north of the netherlands.	in the four years following the first detection of ranavirus (genus ranavirus, family iridoviridae) infection in dutch wildlife in 2010, amphibian mortality events were investigated nationwide to detect, characterize and map ranaviruses in amphibians over time, and to establish the affected host species and the clinico-pathological presentation of the disease in these hosts. the ultimate goal was to obtain more insight into ranavirus disease emergence and ecological risk. in total 155 dead amphi ...	2016	27315226
a new species of nurse-frog (aromobatidae, allobates) from the madeira river basin with a small geographic range.	i describe the seventh species of nurse-frog (allobates) from the madeira river basin in brazilian amazonia. the new species is distinguished from similar congeneric species by its small body size (snout-to-vent length ranging between 14.0-14.7 mm in adult males and between 14.7-14.9 mm in adult females), by the absence of dark brown regular shapes (e.g. hourglass, "x" or polygon-like marks) on the dorsum, by the absence of transverse dark bars on the dorsal surface of the thigh, and by the ligh ...	2016	27394243
monitoring ranavirus-associated mortality in a dutch heathland in the aftermath of a ranavirus disease outbreak.	the ranaviruses are an emerging group of viruses that infect amphibians, fish, and reptiles. although ranaviruses have not been linked to extinctions, emergence in amphibian communities has resulted in population declines for some species. we present the results of ranavirus-associated mortality in a dutch national park in the aftermath of an outbreak associated with a common midwife toad virus (cmtv)-like ranavirus. we monitored five bodies of water across dwingelderveld national park, the neth ...	2016	27455198
an epigenetic perspective on the midwife toad experiments of paul kammerer (1880-1926).	paul kammerer was the most outstanding neo-lamarckian experimentalist of the early 20th century. he reported spectacular results in the midwife toad, including crosses of environmentally modified toads with normal toads, where acquired traits were inherited in mendelian fashion. accusations of fraud generated a great scandal, ending with kammerer's suicide. controversy reignited in the 1970s, when journalist arthur koestler argued against these accusations. since then, others have argued that ka ...	2017	27781385
comparative genomics of amphibian-like ranaviruses, nucleocytoplasmic large dna viruses of poikilotherms.	recent research on genome evolution of large dna viruses has highlighted a number of incredibly dynamic processes that can facilitate rapid adaptation. the genomes of amphibian-like ranaviruses - double-stranded dna viruses infecting amphibians, reptiles, and fish (family iridoviridae) - were examined to assess variation in genome content and evolutionary processes. the viruses studied were closely related, but their genome content varied considerably, with 29 genes identified that were not pres ...	2015	27812275
climate forcing of an emerging pathogenic fungus across a montane multi-host community.	changes in the timings of seasonality as a result of anthropogenic climate change are predicted to occur over the coming decades. while this is expected to have widespread impacts on the dynamics of infectious disease through environmental forcing, empirical data are lacking. here, we investigated whether seasonality, specifically the timing of spring ice-thaw, affected susceptibility to infection by the emerging pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) across a montane community of ...	2016	28080980
developmental trajectories of amphibian microbiota: response to bacterial therapy depends on initial community structure.	improving host health through microbial manipulation requires untangling factors that shape the microbiome. there is currently little understanding of how initial community structure may drive the microbiota trajectory across host development or influence bacterial therapy outcomes. probiotic baths of surface symbionts, pseudomonas fluorescens and flavobacterium johnsoniae were administered to 240 tadpoles of the midwife toad, alytes obstetricans in semi-natural outdoor mesocosms originating fro ...	2017	28229543
impact of asynchronous emergence of two lethal pathogens on amphibian assemblages.	emerging diseases have been increasingly associated with population declines, with co-infections exhibiting many types of interactions. the chytrid fungus (batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) and ranaviruses have extraordinarily broad host ranges, however co-infection dynamics have been largely overlooked. we investigated the pattern of co-occurrence of these two pathogens in an amphibian assemblage in serra da estrela (portugal). the detection of chytridiomycosis in portugal was linked to populatio ...	2017	28240267
[intra-and interspecific crowding-effects in tadpoles ofbufo calamila laur.]	tadpoles ofbufo calamita, a species that spawns in little temporary pools, were tested on intra- and interspecific crowding-effects. water was conditioned by tadpoles of the following species:bufo calamita (tadpoles of different age),alytes obstetricans, bombina variegata, bufo bufo, hyla arborea, rana lessonae, r. ridibunda andr. temporaria. tadpoles ofbufo calamita are most sensitive to water conditioned by older tadpoles of the own species during the first 2-3 weeks of development. they are a ...	1972	28307074
	tadpoles of rana temporaria which have been raised in an artificial pond prey in the experimental situation shown in fig. 1 upon the spawn of the following sympatric european anura species: rana temporaria (cannibalism), rana esculenta, rana ridibunda, bufo bufo, bufo calamita, bombina variegata and hyla arborea (predation). - rana temporaria is an early breeder. thus selection pressure acts in the following ways: rana temporaria establishes for itself an explosive breeding pattern. species whic ...	1970	28309036
[bio-acoustic and ecological investigations in the midwife toad, alytes, o. obstetricans (laur.)].	1. alytes o. obstetricans produces calls from the beginning of april to the end of august on a gravel slope near tübingen. the annual calling activity is divided into four calling periods of different lengths. they are largely independent of weather conditions. 2. the calling activity is based on an endogenous rhythm which is influenced by two exogenous factors, air temperature and light intensity. the lower temperature threshold of calling activity is about 7° c and the upper one about 26° c. t ...	1970	28310347
impact of ammonium nitrate and sodium nitrate on tadpoles of alytes obstetricans.	the presence of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers negatively affect aquatic communities in general, and particularly amphibians in their larval phase, even though sensitivity to pollutants is highly variable among species. the llobregat delta (barcelona, spain) has experienced a decline of amphibian populations, possibly related to the reduction in water quality due to the high levels of farming activity, but also to habitat loss and alteration. we studied the effects of increasing ammonium ...	2017	28409413
antifungal treatment of wild amphibian populations caused a transient reduction in the prevalence of the fungal pathogen, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.	emerging infectious diseases can drive host populations to extinction and are a major driver of biodiversity loss. controlling diseases and mitigating their impacts is therefore a priority for conservation science and practice. chytridiomycosis is a devastating disease of amphibians that is caused by the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), and for which there is an urgent need to develop mitigation methods. we treated tadpoles of the common midwife toad (alytes obstetricans) wit ...	2017	28729557
ranavirus phylogenomics: signatures of recombination and inversions among bullfrog ranaculture isolates.	ranaviruses are emerging pathogens of fish, amphibians, and reptiles that threaten aquatic animal industries and wildlife worldwide. our objective was to genetically characterize ranaviruses isolated during separate bullfrog lithobates catesbeianus die-offs that occurred eight years apart on the same north american farm. the earlier outbreak was due to a highly pathogenic strain of common midwife toad virus (cmtv) previously known only from europe and china. the later outbreak was due to a chime ...	2017	28803676
screening of a long-term sample set reveals two ranavirus lineages in british herpetofauna.	reports of severe disease outbreaks in amphibian communities in mainland europe due to strains of the common midwife toad virus (cmtv)-like clade of ranavirus are increasing and have created concern due to their considerable population impacts. in great britain, viruses in another clade of ranavirus-frog virus 3 (fv3)-like-have caused marked declines of common frog (rana temporaria) populations following likely recent virus introductions. the british public has been reporting mortality incidents ...	2017	28931029
genomic sequencing of ranaviruses isolated from edible frogs (pelophylax esculentus).	ranaviruses were isolated from wild edible frogs (pelophylax esculentus) during epizootics in denmark and italy. phylogenomic analyses revealed that these isolates are closely related and belong to a clade of ranaviruses that includes the andrias davidianus ranavirus (adrv), common midwife toad ranavirus (cmtv), testudo hermanni ranavirus (thrv), and pike-perch iridovirus (ppiv).	2017	28935748
fight fungi with fungi: antifungal properties of the amphibian mycobiome.	emerging infectious diseases caused by fungal taxa are increasing and are placing a substantial burden on economies and ecosystems worldwide. of the emerging fungal diseases, chytridomycosis caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (hereafter bd) is linked to global amphibian declines. amphibians have innate immunity, as well as additional resistance through cutaneous microbial communities. despite the targeting of bacteria as potential probiotics, the role of fungi in the protection ...	2017	29312201
amphibian chytridiomycosis outbreak dynamics are linked with host skin bacterial community structure.	host-associated microbes are vital for combatting infections and maintaining health. in amphibians, certain skin-associated bacteria inhibit the fungal pathogen batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd), yet our understanding of host microbial ecology and its role in disease outbreaks is limited. we sampled skin-associated bacteria and bd from pyrenean midwife toad populations exhibiting enzootic or epizootic disease dynamics. we demonstrate that bacterial communities differ between life stages with f ...	2018	29449565
ranavirus genotypes in the netherlands and their potential association with virulence in water frogs (pelophylax spp.).	ranaviruses are pathogenic viruses for poikilothermic vertebrates worldwide. the identification of a common midwife toad virus (cmtv) associated with massive die-offs in water frogs (pelophylax spp.) in the netherlands has increased awareness for emerging viruses in amphibians in the country. complete genome sequencing of 13 ranavirus isolates collected from ten different sites in the period 2011-2016 revealed three cmtv groups present in distinct geographical areas in the netherlands. phylogene ...	2018	29615625
a new species of nurse-frog (aromobatidae, allobates) from the juami river basin, northwestern brazilian amazonia.	we describe a new species of nurse-frog (aromobatidae, allobates) from northwestern brazilian amazon. allobates juami sp. nov. is distinguished from similar congeneric species by the combination of the following characters: body-size range (snout-to-vent length 17.5-18.5 mm), lack of dark pigments on ventral surfaces of male specimens, dorsal color pattern (predominantly solid dark brown, but conspicuously light brown over snout and urostyle regions), presence of conspicuous pale dorsolateral an ...	2018	29690488
itraconazole and thiophanate-methyl fail to clear tadpoles naturally infected with the hypervirulent lineage of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis.	the emerging infectious disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is a major driver pushing many amphibian species to the brink of extinction. substantial efforts to develop effective protocols that use antifungal drugs have had notable success. here, we used the antifungal agents itraconazole and thiophanate-methyl, singly and in combination, in an attempt to treat common midwife toad alytes obstetricans larvae naturally infected with the globalized hypervir ...	2018	30324916
a name for the nurse-frog (allobates, aromobatidae) of floresta nacional de carajás, eastern brazilian amazonia.	we describe a new species of nurse-frog (aromobatidae, allobates) from floresta nacional de carajás, southeastern brazilian amazonia. allobates carajas sp. nov. is distinguished from similar congeneric species by the combination of the following characters: body-size range (snout-to-vent length 16.5-19.1 mm), dorsal color pattern with a dark brown hourglass-shaped mark, by the absence of a pale dorsolateral stripe and presence of a pale ventrolateral stripe, absence of a pale paracloacal mark, b ...	2019	30790877
common midwife toad ranaviruses replicate first in the oral cavity of smooth newts (lissotriton vulgaris) and show distinct strain-associated pathogenicity.	ranavirus is the second most common infectious cause of amphibian mortality. these viruses affect caudates, an order in which information regarding ranavirus pathogenesis is scarce. in the netherlands, two strains (cmtv-nl i and iii) were suspected to possess distinct pathogenicity based on field data. to investigate susceptibility and disease progression in urodeles and determine differences in pathogenicity between strains, 45 adult smooth newts (lissotriton vulgaris) were challenged via bath ...	2019	30872735
infection with batrachochytrium dendrobatidis lowers heat tolerance of tadpole hosts and cannot be cleared by brief exposure to ctmax.	climate change and infectious disease by the chytrid fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) are major drivers of amphibian extinctions, but the potential interactions of these two factors are not fully understood. temperature is known to influence (1) the infectivity, pathogenicity and virulence of bd; (2) host-parasite dynamics, especially when both hosts and parasites are ectothermic organisms exhibiting thermal sensitivities that may or may not differ; and (3) amphibian vulnerability to e ...	2019	31034535
frog virus 3 genomes reveal prevalent recombination between ranavirus lineages and their origins in canada.	ranaviruses are pathogens associated with the decline of amphibian populations across much of their distribution. in north america, frog virus 3 (fv3) is a widely distributed pathogen with wild populations of amphibians harboring different lineages and putative recombinants between fv3 and common midwife toad virus (cmtv). these recombinants have higher pathogenicity, and cmtv-derived genes associated with virulence are reported in wild strains in canada. however, while fv3 is linked to amphibia ...	2019	31341053
studies on the interaction of alyteserin 1c peptide and its cationic analogue with model membranes imitating mammalian and bacterial membranes.	antimicrobial peptides (amps) are effector molecules of the innate immune system and have been isolated from multiple organisms. their antimicrobial properties are due to the fact that they interact mainly with the anionic membrane of the microorganisms, permeabilizing it and releasing the cytoplasmic content. alyteserin 1c (+2), an amp isolated from alytes obstetricans and its more cationic and hydrophilic analogue (+5) were synthesized using the solid phase method, in order to study the intera ...	2019	31557903
a new nurse frog of allobates masniger-nidicola complex (anura, aromobatidae) from the east bank of tapajós river, eastern amazonia.	the small nurse frogs of the genus allobates (anura, aromobatidae) represent one of the most challenging taxonomic issues of the neotropics. during several amphibian surveys in the middle tapajós river region, state of pará, brazil, we collected phenotypic, ecological, and molecular data on species of this genus, leading to the identification of a new species included in the allobates masniger-nidicola complex. the new species is characterized by a large body size (snout-vent length 19.2-21.7 mm ...	2019	31716933
microplastics impair amphibian survival, body condition and function.	microplastics (mps) are contaminants of increasing concern; they are abundant, ubiquitous and persistent over time, representing potential risks for organisms and ecosystems. however, such risks are still virtually unknown for amphibians, despite the particular attention that these organisms often receive because of their global decline. we examined the effects of mps (fluorescent, 10-μm polystyrene microspheres) at different concentrations (from 0 to 103 particles ml-1) on tadpoles of the commo ...	2020	31809926
reference gene screening of batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and batrachochytrium salamandrivorans for quantitative real-time pcr studies.	real-time quantitative pcr studies largely depend on reference genes for the normalization of gene expression. stable reference genes should be accurately selected in order to obtain reliable results. we here present a study screening commonly used reference genes (tef1f, α-centractin, ctsyn1, gapdh, r6046, aprt and tub) in the chytrid fungi batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) and batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (bsal), which cause the lethal amphibian skin disease chytridiomycosis. we evaluat ...	2019	31811175
anthropogenic substrate-borne vibrations impact anuran calling.	anthropogenic disturbance is a major cause of the biodiversity crisis. nevertheless, the role of anthropogenic substrate vibrations in disrupting animal behavior is poorly understood. amphibians comprise the terrestrial vertebrates most sensitive to vibrations, and since communication is crucial to their survival and reproduction, they are a suitable model for investigating this timely subject. playback tests were used to assess the effects of substrate vibrations produced by two sources of anth ...	2019	31857629
cmtv-like ranavirus infection associated with high mortality in captive catfish-like loach, triplophysa siluorides, in china.	ranaviruses are important emerging pathogens of ectothermic vertebrates that threaten aquaculture and wildlife worldwide. a mortality event occurred in a cultured population of catfish-like loach (triplophysa siluorides) in sichuan province, china. gross clinical signs of the affected fish included skin lesions and haemorrhagic ulcers, which are often associated with ranaviruses. inoculation of liver, kidney and spleen tissue homogenates in epithelioma papulosum cyprini (epc) cells at 25°c resul ...	2020	31904194
low intraspecific variation of frog virus 3 with evidence for novel fv3-like isolates in central and northwestern canada.	frog virus 3 (fv3) and fv3-like ranaviruses can infect a variety of cold-blooded aquatic species and present a primary threat to amphibians across the globe. previous studies of fv3-like viruses have largely investigated higher-level phylogenetic distinctions of these pathogens via portions of the conserved major capsid protein (mcp), and the putative virulence gene vif-2α. few studies, however, have investigated the spatial distribution of fv3 variants at the population level3-data that can be ...	2019	32132268
niche models at inter- and intraspecific levels reveal hierarchical niche differentiation in midwife toads.	variation and population structure play key roles in the speciation process, but adaptive intraspecific genetic variation is commonly ignored when forecasting species niches. amphibians serve as excellent models for testing how climate and local adaptations shape species distributions due to physiological and dispersal constraints and long generational times. in this study, we analysed the climatic factors driving the evolution of the genus alytes at inter- and intraspecific levels that may limi ...	2020	32616878
high pathogen prevalence in an amphibian and reptile assemblage at a site with risk factors for dispersal in galicia, spain.	ranaviruses are agents of disease, mortality and population declines in ectothermic vertebrates and emergences have been repeatedly linked to human activities. ranaviruses in the common midwife toad ranavirus lineage are emerging in europe. they are known to be severe multi-host pathogens of amphibians and can also cause disease in reptiles. recurrent outbreaks of ranavirus disease and mortality affecting three species have occurred at a small reservoir in north-west spain but no data were avail ...	2020	32730306
presence of low virulence chytrid fungi could protect european amphibians from more deadly strains.	wildlife diseases are contributing to the current earth's sixth mass extinction; one disease, chytridiomycosis, has caused mass amphibian die-offs. while global spread of a hypervirulent lineage of the fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bdgpl) causes unprecedented loss of vertebrate diversity by decimating amphibian populations, its impact on amphibian communities is highly variable across regions. here, we combine field data with in vitro and in vivo trials that demonstrate the presence of ...	2020	33106491
instant killing of pathogenic chytrid fungi by disposable nitrile gloves prevents disease transmission between amphibians.	to prevent transmission of the pathogenic chytrid fungi batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (bd) and batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (bsal), hygiene protocols prescribe the single use of disposable gloves for handling amphibians. we discovered that rinse water from nitrile gloves instantly kills 99% of bd and bsal zoospores. transmission experiments using midwife toads (alytes obstetricans) and bd, and alpine newts (ichthyosaura alpestris) and bsal, show that the use of the same pair of gloves for ...	2020	33119670
host contribution to parasite persistence is consistent between parasites and over time, but varies spatially.	most parasites and pathogens infect multiple hosts, but a great deal of variation exists in the role of those hosts in persistence of infection. understanding which hosts are most important in maintaining parasites can provide a clearer target for infection control. recently developed empirical and theoretical approaches provide a way to quantify the relative contribution of hosts within a community and place them in a multihost framework to better direct control efforts. amphibians provide a fr ...	2020	33164249