First Report of Chytridiomycosis in a Dying Toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from Cuba: A New Conservation Challenge for the Island

Abstract

Infection by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytriumdendrobatidis was detected in a male Bufo longinasus dunni, a small toad endemic to central Cuba. The individual was severely infected and in decaying condition. Sections of the skin were examined through standard histological procedures. Several stages of the fungus were confirmed and are illustrated in this contribution. Implications for amphibian conservation in Cuba are discussed.