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Chytridiomycota are a division of zoosporic organisms in the kingdom Fungi, informally known as chytrids. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek χυτρίδιον, meaning "little pot", describing the structure containing unreleased zoospores. Chytrids are one of the earliest diverging fungal lineages, and their membership in kingdom Fungi is demonstrated with chitin cell walls, a posterior whiplash flagellum, absorptive nutrition, use of glycogen as an energy storage compound, and synthesis of lysine by the α-amino adipic acid (AAA) pathway.
Since the 1980s, decreases in amphibian populations, including population decline and localized mass extinctions, have been observed in locations all over the world. These declines are known as one of the most critical threats to global biodiversity.
Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease in amphibians, caused by the chytrid fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. Chytridiomycosis has been linked to dramatic population declines or extinctions of amphibian species in western North America, Central America, South America, eastern Australia, east Africa (Tanzania), and Dominica and Montserrat in the Caribbean. Much of the New World is also at risk of the disease arriving within the coming years. The fungus is capable of causing sporadic deaths in some amphibian populations and 100% mortality in others. No effective measure is known for control of the disease in wild populations. Various clinical signs are seen by individuals affected by the disease. A number of options are possible for controlling this disease-causing fungus, though none has proved to be feasible on a large scale. The disease has been proposed as a contributing factor to a global decline in amphibian populations that apparently has affected about 30% of the amphibian species of the world. Some research found evidence insufficient for linking chytrid fungi and chytridiomycosis to global amphibian declines, but more recent research establishes a connection and attributes the spread of the disease to its transmission through international trade routes into native ecosystems.
The mountain yellow-legged frog, also known as the southern mountain yellow-legged frog, is a species of true frog endemic to California in the United States. It occurs in the San Jacinto Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, and San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California and the Southern Sierra Nevada. It is a federally listed endangered species, separated into two distinct population segments (DPS): a northern DPS, listed endangered in 2014, and a southern DPS that was listed endangered in 2002.
Taudactylus is a genus of frogs in the family Myobatrachidae. These frogs are endemic to rainforest areas of coastal eastern Australia, most of this genus inhabit fast flowing streams in highland area. Most members of this genus have suffered serious declines, in which the disease chytridiomycosis appears to have played a significant role: T. diurnus is believed to be extinct, while all others except T. liemi are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. These listings are conservative, and it is likely T. acutirostris, presently listed as critically endangered, already is extinct.
The blue-sided leaf frog, also known as the orange-eyed leaf frog, is an endangered species of tree frog in the subfamily Phyllomedusinae native to the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica and Panama. The specific name annae honors Ann S. Duellman, the collector of the holotype and the describer's wife.
Frogs have been used in animal tests throughout the history of biomedical science.
Holdridge's toad, formerly Bufo holdridgei, is a species of toad endemic to Costa Rica. In October 2008, it was declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in its Red List since the species had not been seen since 1987, despite years of extensive searches. However, the species was rediscovered in 2010 by a Costa Rican herpetologist and is now classified as critically endangered. It is believed that the species is most threatened by the presence of the chytrid fungus in its habitat.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, also known as Bd or the amphibian chytrid fungus, is a fungus that causes the disease chytridiomycosis in amphibians.
Archey's frog is an archaic species of frog endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is one of only three extant species belonging to the taxonomic family Leiopelmatidae. It is named after Sir Gilbert Archey, the former director of the Auckland Institute. The holotype is held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. It is found only in the Coromandel Peninsula and near Te Kuiti in the North Island of New Zealand. This species, along with others in the family, have changed little over the past 200 million years, thus they represent "living fossils".
A panzootic is an epizootic that spreads across a large region, or even worldwide. The equivalent in human populations is called a pandemic.
Colostethus panamansis, also known as the Panama rocket frog or (ambiguously) common rocket frog, is a species of poison dart frog. It is found in northwestern Colombia and Panama. It is one of the best studied poison dart frogs; however, until 2004 Colostethus panamansis was considered a synonym of Colostethus inguinalis, and consequently the older literature uses that name.
The Copan brook frog is a species of frog in the family Hylidae found in northeastern Guatemala and northwestern Honduras, specifically in the Sierra del Merendón, Sierra de Omoa, Sierra de Caral, and Sierra Espíritu Santo ranges. The colouring of this species is very distinctive and the specific name soralia comes from the resemblance of its markings to the vegetative structures on some crustose lichens.
The green-eyed treefrog is a species of Australasian treefrog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae that occurs in the Wet Tropics of Australia.
The Nigeria banana frog is a species of frog in the family Hyperoliidae. It is found in southeastern Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and western Nigeria; it appears to be missing from Togo and Benin. Its natural habitat is primary rainforests, but it can also be found in a farm bush. The eggs are laid on vegetation, overhanging temporary ponds. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by agricultural encroachment, expanding human settlements, and logging. A high prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the fungus causing chytridiomycosis, that has been associated with amphibian declines elsewhere, has been demonstrated in specimens collected from the Okomu National Park in Nigeria.
The golden toad is an extinct species of true toad that was once abundant in a small, high-altitude region of about 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) in an area north of the city of Monteverde, Costa Rica. It was endemic to elfin cloud forest. Also called the Monte Verde toad, Alajuela toad and orange toad, it is commonly considered the "poster child" for the amphibian decline crisis. This toad was first described in 1966 by herpetologist Jay Savage. The last sighting of a single male golden toad was on 15 May 1989, and it has since been classified as extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is a pathogenic chytrid fungus that infects amphibian species. Although salamanders and newts seem to be the most susceptible, some anuran species are also affected. Bsal has emerged recently and poses a major threat to species in Europe and North America.
Speleomantes strinatii, the French cave salamander, North-west Italian cave salamander, or Strinati's cave salamander is a small species of salamander found in northwest Italy and southeast France. It is very similar in appearance to the Italian cave salamander, but has a paler belly.
Karen R. Lips is a Professor of Biology at University of Maryland, College Park. Lips' work in the 1990s eventually contributed to the identification of the chytrid fungus as the primary cause of frog decline worldwide.
Joyce E. Longcore is a mycologist and an associate research professor at the University of Maine. She is most well known for first culturing and describing Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis which is a species of Chytridiomycota fungi that was the first to be known to attack vertebrates. She continues to collect and isolate Chytridiomycota cultures for other researches to use for their own studies.
References
- 1 2 "CSIRO Medals 2000 – Research achievement – Amphibian disease team". CSIROpedia. 31 October 2000. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Lee Berger". Australian Academy of Science. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Prime Minister's Science Prizes: all the winners". Cosmos Magazine. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- 1 2 3 "Prime Minister's Prizes Honour Excellence in Science | Prime Minister of Australia". www.pm.gov.au. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- 1 2 "Saving frogs, and revealing new extinction threats" (PDF). Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 "Lee Berger". CSIROpedia. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 "Research Portfolio: Dr Lee Berger". James Cook University. 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- 1 2 3 Morton, Adam (17 October 2018). "Landmark work on frog extinction crisis wins at PM's science prizes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- 1 2 3 "This deadly fungus is wiping out amphibians around the world". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ↑ "A/Prof Lee Berger". findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ↑ Berger, Lee; Skerratt, Lee Francis. "Fighting frog fungus: Lee Berger wins PM's Life Scientist 2018 award". The Conversation. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
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