Abstract
Records of malformation in amphibians have significantly increased on a global scale. The main causes of malformations are linked to environmental contaminants, and records in preserved environments are uncommon. We reported malformations in three anuran species belonging to three families:Crossodactylustimbuhy(Hylodidae),Proceratophrysschirchi(Odontophrynidae) andThoropamiliaris(Cycloramphidae). All records were found within the Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi, a well-preserved protected remnant of Atlantic rainforest located in the mountains of the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. The malformations detected were hemimelia (long bone shortened) with ectrodactyly (digit absent) and brachydactyly (digit shortened) inC.timbuhy, microphtalmia (small eye) inP.schirchiand ectrodactyly inT.miliaris. Further studies are recommended to enable a better understanding about the incidence and causes of malformations within preserved areas.
Highlights
There are various possible causes of amphibian deformations, including genetic and environmental factors, such as parasitic infestation (Johnson et al 1999; Kiesecker 2002), microbial diseases and other disorders (Sessions and Ruth 1990), elevation of UV-B radiation (Ankley et al 2000), and the major factor: chemical agents, most of them found in agribusiness pollution (Ouellet et al 1997; Hayes et al 2002; Lannoo 2008; Koleska and Jablonski 2016)
The remnant is a protected area that comprehends well-preserved forests surrounded by agricultural lands, mainly crops of coffee, banana and Eucalyptus spp
The specimens were deposited in the Zoological Collection of Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica, Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brazil
Summary
Malformations in anurans are not a recent development in herpetology, since the first register was in 1554 (Gesner 1554); they have been reported in all continents for more than 400 species (Henle et al 2017). Reportamos malformações em três espécies de anfíbios anuros pertencentes a três diferentes famílias: Crossodactylus timbuhy (Hylodidae), Proceratophrys schirchi (Odontophrynidae) e Thoropa miliaris (Cycloramphidae).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
