Journal
DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS
Volume 61, Issue 1-2, Pages 75-83Publisher
INTER-RESEARCH
DOI: 10.3354/dao061075
Keywords
amphibian decline; Chytridiomycosis; emerging infectious disease; Rana muscosa; tadpole
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Funding
- NIEHS NIH HHS [R01 ES12067-01] Funding Source: Medline
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Chytridiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease caused by the chytrid fungus Batra-chochytrium dendrobatidis, which has been implicated in amphibian declines worldwide. The mountain yellow-legged frog Rana muscosa is a declining amphibian species that can be infected by B. dendrobatidis; however, transmission between conspecifics has not been documented. Here, we present experimental evidence that R. muscosa tadpoles can be infected by fungal zoospores and that they can transmit infection to each other and to postmetamorphic animals. We compared several techniques for detecting B. dendrobatidis transmission and found that histology with serial sectioning was able to detect infection before cytology or visual inspections. We also show that R. muscosa tadpoles appear healthy with B. dendrobatidis infection, while postmetamorphic animals experience mortality. In addition, we provide guidelines for visually detecting B. dendrobatidis in R. muscosa tadpoles, which may be useful in other affected species. Field surveys of infected and uninfected populations verify this identification technique.
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