Amphibian Species Research Articles

Citizen science reveal new distribution record and possibility of herpetofauna alien species spread in Java – Bali Region

In Indonesia, several reports have been related to the distribution of alien herpetofauna species, especially in Java-Bali. This research aims to reveal the distribution record and possible new distribution of herpetofauna species in the Java-Bali region, including the possibility of alien species. Amfibi Reptil Kita (ARK) uses citizen science methods to collect herpetofauna data from 2017 – 2020 to see possible distribution of herpetofauna new species in the Java – Bali region. The data are then separated by year and region for analysis. After sorting, the data matched the distribution of species through various libraries and geotagged references based on each account. There are six new species recorded in Java-Bali referred to alien species. There are six new species recorded in Java-Bali reffered to alien species. Polypedates macrotis is a new record for Java, while two other amphibian species, Ranoidea caerulea and Lithobates catesbeianus are species whose natural distribution is not in Java-Bali. For reptiles, three types are indicated as alien species in Java-Bali, namely Calotes versicolor, Lamprolepis smaragdina and Pelodiscus sinensis. If alien species such as Lithobates catesbeianus, Calotes versicolor and Lamprolepis smaragdina are not managed properly there are possibility of becoming invasive species and threatening the existence of local species.

Herpetofauna trade via e-commerce in Indonesia

Sales of wildlife on a commercial scale using various online platform has been occurring for some time however, research related to online wildlife trade in Indonesia, especially herpetofauna, is still limited. This study aims to examine the herpetofauna trade on a popular e-commerce platforms in Indonesia, namely: Tokopedia, Shopee, Lazada, and Bukalapak, using a web scraping application data retrieval method. Web scraping is a technique to get information from the website automatically without having to copy it manually. The results recorded 117 species of the herpetofauna from 38 families, comprising 106 species of reptiles (90.6%) and 11 species of amphibians (9.4%). Eublepharis macularius (leopard gecko) was the most offered species in each e-commerce, whereas Trachemys scripta (red-eared slider) was the most sold species. Six species were included under the protected animals list according to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry No. 106 from 2018, which were Crocodylus porosus (saltwater crocodile), Morelia viridis (green tree python), Python bivittatus (Burmese python), Orlitia borneensis (Malaysian giant turtle), Varanus nebulosus (clouded monitor) and Varanus panoptes (argus monitor). Based on the province, the highest trade occurs in West Java, followed by Jakarta. The total economic value during the period of 2017 to 2022 is IDR 3,355,750,470.

Exposure to Low Concentrations of AMPA Influences Morphology and Decreases Survival During Larval Development in a Widespread Amphibian Species.

Glyphosate's primary metabolite, AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid), is one of the most widely detected anthropogenic substance in surface waters worldwide. However, ecotoxicological studies on the potential effects of this metabolite at environmental concentrations on wildlife are scarce. Yet, due to its chemical properties, AMPA is likely to affect non-target species. In this study, we investigated sublethal effects of environmental concentrations of AMPA on the larval development of a widespread amphibian species, the spined toad Bufo spinosus. We performed a factorial experiment to study the effect of concentration and the timing of exposure (during embryonic development, larval development or both) to AMPA on the morphology, rate of development and survival of tadpoles. AMPA and timing of exposure interactively affected tadpole size (individuals exposed to AMPA after hatching were transitorily smaller, while individuals exposed to AMPA before hatching were longer), but not duration of development. Most of these effects were linked to exposure during embryonic development. Such effects in individuals exposed during embryonic development solely were long-lasting and persisted until the latest larval stages. Finally, we found that exposure to AMPA after hatching (during the larval stage) increased mortality. Exposure to low environmental concentrations of AMPA could have long-lasting consequences on fitness and population persistence. These findings are especially important to take into account at a time when multiple threats can interact to affect wildlife.

Rapid Herpetofauna Assessment at Tumring REDD+Community Forests in Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia

Many community forests are located in the area surrounding the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, which is currently managed by the local communities. Among those, eight community forests in Kampong Thom province have been included in the pilot project of Tumring REDD+. While these areas are likely to support a high diversity of wildlife, a limited amount of wildlife research and monitoring has been conducted for them, especially herpetofauna studies. To support Tumring REDD+-related work, research was conducted to collect information of herpetofauna species in the targeted eight community forests. Opportunistic searches for amphibians and reptiles and pitfall traps, were applied to collect data. Captured species were photographed and released back unharmed. A total of 36 herpetofauna species (16 amphibian and 20 reptile species) were recorded across all survey sites. Most of the recorded species from this survey are listed as of the Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. The most detected amphibian species were Microhyla fissipes and Eutropis macularia reptile species. In terms of diversity scores, the O’Kranhak community forest was identified as the site with the highest diversity for herpetofauna species, and this area was observed to contain more flowing streams and puddles than other studied sites. This good habitat condition supports more species and organisms’ ability to keep active even in the dry season. The lowest diversity score was at Prey Ang Taen Forest. This area was observed to be more degraded and isolated from other forest fragments. Illegal logging and wildlife hunting were observed as the main threats to these community forests. Our findings provide a species list of the herpetofauna in these studied community forests useful for supporting the development of long-term biodiversity monitoring and conservation. We recommend conducting further study and restoration of these community forests, preservation of swamps and streams, and tackling illegal logging and wildlife hunting in these areas.

PROPOZYCJA MONITORINGU XENOPUS TROPICALIS (GRAY, 1864) W ZACHODNIEJ AFRYCE

The main aim of the study was to present the suggested methods of monitoring Xenopus tropicalis, belonging to the subgenus Silurana of the Pipidae family. This species is a model animal, in laboratories it is kept in different conditions than the conditions of the natural environment, which proves its adaptation to a new habitat. In addition, an amphibian inhabiting West Africa has been found in the USA in the wild. This may indicate a potential threat as an invasive species. Active monitoring of this species can provide information about the spread and adaptation to new habitats. So far, no method for monitoring X. tropicalis has been proposed. The proposed method of assessing the condition of the species is based on field studies – the presence and abundance of individuals, while the assessment of the habitat includes many factors such as: the size and depth of the reservoir, its shading and overgrowth of the water surface, the presence of other animals (fish, other species of amphibians, reptiles) and nutritional base (presence of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates). The proposed monitoring methods can also be used for other species of the Pipidae family that lead a typically aquatic lifestyle.

Novel and legacy brominated flame retardants in snakes and frogs: Tissue distribution, biomagnification, and maternal transfer

Although many studies have examined polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) in biota, information on the bioaccumulation characteristics of NBFRs from field works is limited. This study investigated the tissue-specific exposure to PBDEs and NBFRs in two reptilian (short-tailed mamushi and red-backed rat snake) and one amphibian species (black-spotted frog) prevalent in the Yangtze River Delta, China. The levels of ΣPBDEs and ΣNBFRs ranged from 4.4–250 and 2.9–22 ng/g lipid weight for snakes respectively and 2.9–120 and 7.1–97 ng/g lipid weight for frogs respectively. BDE-209, BDE-154, and BDE-47 were three major PBDE congeners while decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) dominated in NBFRs. Tissue burdens indicated that snake adipose was the major storage site of PBDEs and NBFRs. The biomagnification factors (BMFs) estimated from black-spotted frog to red-backed rat snake indicated the biomagnification of penta- to nona-BDE congeners (BMFs 1.1–4.0) but the lack of biomagnification of other BDE and all NBFR congeners (BMFs 0.16–0.78). Mother to egg transfer of PBDEs and NBFRs evaluated in frogs showed that maternal transfer efficiency was positively related to chemical lipophilicity. This is the first field study on the tissue distribution of NBFRs in reptiles and amphibians and the maternal transfer behavior of 5 major NBFRs. The results underline the bioaccumulation potential of alternative NBFRs.

Illustrated keys and a DNA barcode reference library of the amphibians and terrestrial reptiles (Amphibia, Reptilia) of São Tomé and Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea, West Africa).

The herpetofauna of São Tomé and Príncipe consists of nine species of amphibians, all endemic, and 21 species of terrestrial reptiles, of which 17 are endemic. Our current knowledge regarding its natural history, ecology, and distribution is limited. Here two important tools are provided to support researchers, conservationists, and local authorities in the identification of the country's herpetofauna: an illustrated key to the herpetofauna of the two islands and surroundings islets and a DNA barcode reference library. The keys allow a rapid and unambiguous morphological identification of all occurring species. The DNA barcodes for the entire herpetofauna of the country were produced from 79 specimens, all of which are deposited in museum collections. The barcodes generated are available in online repositories and can be used to provide unambiguous molecular identification of most of the species. Future applications and use of these tools are briefly discussed.

Potential impact of climate change on spatial distribution of two savannah amphibian species in West Africa

AbstractClimate change affects biodiversity, notably by modifying species habitats. In the West African savannahs, amphibian species are widespread. Despite their importance in ecosystems, little is known about the potential impacts of future climate change on these amphibians, hence the need to study the future distribution patterns of West African savannah amphibian species. We performed species distribution modelling to forecast the current and future distribution of two species Hyperolius nitidulus and Ptychadena bibroni in West Africa. Based on the global climate model MIROC5 and two future climate scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5), we assessed trends in the evolution of suitable habitat areas of these two amphibian species. We found that H. nitidulus is likely to lose significant proportions of their current habitats in the future due to climate change, while P. bibroni is likely to gain new suitable habitats. Our study suggests that some savannah amphibian species that are currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN would be negatively affected by future climate change as shown by the distribution patterns of H. nitidulus. It is therefore necessary to consider all amphibian species, whether widely distributed or endemic, in future conservation strategies for amphibians in West Africa.

The Increasing Role of Short-Term Sperm Storage and Cryopreservation in Conserving Threatened Amphibian Species.

Multidisciplinary approaches to conserve threatened species are required to curb biodiversity loss. Globally, amphibians are facing the most severe declines of any vertebrate class. In response, conservation breeding programs have been established in a growing number of amphibian species as a safeguard against further extinction. One of the main challenges to the long-term success of conservation breeding programs is the maintenance of genetic diversity, which, if lost, poses threats to the viability and adaptive potential of at-risk populations. Integrating reproductive technologies into conservation breeding programs can greatly assist genetic management and facilitate genetic exchange between captive and wild populations, as well as reinvigorate genetic diversity from expired genotypes. The generation of offspring produced via assisted fertilisation using frozen-thawed sperm has been achieved in a small but growing number of amphibian species and is poised to be a valuable tool for the genetic management of many more threatened species globally. This review discusses the role of sperm storage in amphibian conservation, presents the state of current technologies for the short-term cold storage and cryopreservation of amphibian sperm, and discusses the generation of cryo-derived offspring.

The distribution of amphibian species richness in protected areas of Chiapas, Mexico

Due to the current environmental crisis, many animal species face extinction problems. Amphibian populations have been affected by this crisis. Our goal is to study amphibian species diversity in Chiapas, which has 7.6% of the endemic amphibians in Mexico and 53 protected areas. Only 58% of the protected areas have management plans or information on their resident amphibians. We aim to determine the extent of protection provided by the network of natural areas for the conservation of amphibian species in the state and to discuss the effectiveness of this protection. Therefore, we compiled a georeferenced database of 112 amphibian species in Chiapas to create each distribution model. In addition, we carried out representativeness, beta diversity, and species richness analyses. As a result, we obtained a high degree of representativeness for the records and species distribution models. However, we found a decrease in the richness of amphibians involving 20% of total species, 13% of endemics, 18% threatened according to NOM-059, and 31% threatened according to IUCN between 1800 and 2020 and 1980–2020. We also identified two biodiversity hotspots in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas and the Northern Highlands physiographic regions. Finally, based on potential distributions, we found more endemic and threatened species outside protected natural areas than inside them. Our results give a broader picture of how amphibian richness is distributed in Chiapas. This information can help to prioritize conservation efforts toward those areas rich in threatened or endemic species, such as the Northern Mountains Hotspot we identified in northern Chiapas.

Status of vertebrate species in Danial Cave, northern Iran

AbstractCave biodiversity and ecosystems are underexplored. To guide conservation needs for visitor management, we surveyed the 2,158 m long Danial Cave in northern Iran for vertebrate fauna. We identified four mammalian and two amphibian species in the cave: the greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Blasius's horseshoe bat Rhinolophus blasii, the lesser mouse-eared myotis Myotis blythii, the Hyrcanian field mouse Apodemus hyrcanicus, the Hyrcanian wood frog Rana pseudodalmatina and the Eurasian marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus. Considering the increasing tourism pressures at Danial Cave, information on cave fauna is imperative for the conservation management of unique and endemic cave species.

The amphibians and reptiles of the Northern Selva Lacandona:

Chiapas harbors significant biological and cultural diversity. The region known as Selva Lacandona is an ideal example to study what is called the “biocultural axiom”. This neotropical region is inhabited by multiple indigenous groups, such as the Tsotziles, Tseltales, Tojolabales, Ch’oles, Kanjobales, Chujes, Mames, Lacandones (Hach Winik), and Zoques. The herpetofaunistic diversity of Chiapas is currently represented by 107 species of amphibians and 223 species of reptiles. In the Selva Lacandona region a total of 35 species of amphibians and 90 reptiles has been documented, with some areas still remaining to be formally explored. Traditionally, the use of natural resources by native indigenous communities has been linked to the selective use of those species that have economical, traditional, and/or magical-religious value. Many of these human groups have a deep traditional knowledge about the environment in which they live, as well as the diversity of plant, fungal, and animal species with which they have coexisted over millennia. The Nahá and Metzabok communities are inhabited by the Maya-Lacandón del Norte culture. The objective of this study is to identify the herpetofaunistic species diversity found within the Flora and Fauna Protection Areas (APFF´s) of Nahá andMetzabok. Additionally, we analyzed whether the Lacandones from the north have a herpetofaunistic ethnical taxonomic classification system. A total of 67 species that are recognized by the Lacandones were recorded for both APFFs. The Lacandones del Norte classify the herpetofauna into six groups, i.e., Ak (Turtles), Kan (Snakes), Ayim (Crocodiles), Torok (Lizards), Xut (Frogs), and Be’p (Toads). For Metzabok, the three most frequently mentioned species are Bothrops asper, Boa imperator, and Crocodylus moreletii. For Nahá, the three species of most importance are Basiliscus vittatus, Boa imperator, and Kinosternon leucostomum. The differenceslie in the fact that for the Lacandones of Metzabok, the most important animals are those that are represented in their oral narratives, while for the Nahá community; the most important species are those that they usually find on a daily basis when walking along the trails in the jungle.

Mountain Biodiversity, Species Distribution and Ecosystem Functioning in a Changing World

Mountains encompass more than 30% of all land and 23% of the Earth’s forests, with high levels of biodiversity and endemism, and they support diverse habitats and refuges for approximately 85% of amphibian, bird, and mammal species [...]

Difficult times for amphibians: Effects of land-use change at the local and landscape scales in the Iberá Wetlands

Land-use change and management practices have led to habitat loss, one of the greatest factors in biodiversity decline. Particularly, amphibians comprise the highest number of threatened vertebrate species at the global scale. In this work, amphibian communities were analysed in three differing landscapes: a protected wetland, a livestock-impaired rangeland and a pine afforestation. In each landscape, amphibian species were sampled. Land-cover type and composition, as well as primary vegetation types were characterised at the landscape and local scale, respectively. The relationship between these environmental variables and the amphibian communities was analysed. Twenty-one amphibian species were identified; the protected and afforested landscapes were the richest, whereas the rangeland showed the lowest species richness and diversity estimates. At the local scale, vegetation, water coverage and land-use category explained the higher presence of amphibian species and their abundance. These results show how different land-uses, especially livestock farming, modify the composition of amphibian communities. This work constitutes a foundation for the development of sustainable management practices for conserving amphibians in landscape-level altered habitats.

Evaluating the interactive effects of artificial light at night and background color on tadpole crypsis, background adaptation efficacy, and growth

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a global pollutant of rising concern. While alterations to natural day-night cycles caused by ALAN can affect a variety of traits, the broader fitness and ecological implications of these ALAN-induced shifts remain unclear. This study evaluated the interactive effects of ALAN and background color on traits that have important implications for predator-prey interactions and fitness: crypsis, background adaptation efficacy, and growth. Using three amphibian species as our models, we discovered that: (1) Exposure to ALAN reduced the ability for some species to match their backgrounds (background adaptation efficacy), (2) Crypsis and background adaptation efficacy were enhanced when tadpoles were exposed to dark backgrounds only, emphasizing the importance of environmental context when evaluating the effects of ALAN, (3) ALAN and background color have a combined effect on a common metric of fitness (growth), and (4) Effects of ALAN were not generalizable across amphibian species, supporting calls for more studies that utilize a diversity of species. Notably, to our knowledge, we found the first evidence that ALAN can diminish background adaptation efficacy in an amphibian species (American toad tadpoles). Collectively, our study joins others in highlighting the complex effects of ALAN on wildlife and underscores the challenges of generalizing ALAN's effect across species, emphasizing the need for a greater diversity of species and approaches used in ALAN research.

Toxicity and effects on anuran tadpole metamorphosis of the anthranilic diamide insecticides chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole

ABSTRACT The present study examined the acute and chronic toxicity attributed to commercial formulations of the anthranilic diamide insecticides chlorantraniliprole (CHLO) and cyantraniliprole (CYAN) on the neotropical amphibian species Rhinella arenarum, Rhinella fernandezae and Scinax granulatus. The median lethal concentrations obtained after 96 hr exposure (96 hr-LC50) were generally greater than 100 mg/L, except for stage 25 S. Granulatus, which were the most sensitive animals tested with a 96 hr-LC50 value of 46.78 mg/L. In subchronic exposures of R. arenarum, the 21day-LC50 were 151.4 mg/L for CHLO and >160 mg/L for CYAN, the weight gain of the tadpoles during this period not being markedly affected in both cases. Finally, when tadpoles of R. arenarum were exposed to CHLO throughout the metamorphic process, an inverted U-shaped non-monotonic dose-response relationship was observed between exposure concentrations and both % of individuals transiting between stage 39 and 42 and the time required to accomplish this. Data obtained raise the hypothesis of an effect of CHLO on the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, either directly or through an interaction with the stress-hormone system, as metamorphic progression from stage 39 to S42 occurs under the strict control of thyroid hormones. These observations are important as the anthranilic diamide insecticides are not currently known as endocrine disruptors. Further investigations are needed to clarify the pathways leading to these effects and examine whether environmentally-relevant aquatic concentrations of anthranilic diamides might be impacting amphibian populations in the wild.

A biological invasion reduces rates of cannibalism by Japanese toad tadpoles

Biological invasions can favour rapid changes in intraspecific competitive mechanisms such as cannibalism by imposing novel evolutionary pressures. For example, cane toad (Rhinella marina) tadpoles are highly cannibalistic on eggs and hatchlings in their invasive range in Australia, but not in their native range in South America. Whether such changes in cannibalism occur in invasive populations of other amphibian species is unknown. To explore this question, we collected wild-laid egg clutches of Japanese common toads (Bufo japonicus) from native and invasive populations in Japan, and conducted laboratory experiments to examine cannibalism responses. Contrary to the Australian system, we found that invasion has been accompanied by reduced cannibalistic tendency of B. japonicus tadpoles. This reduction has occurred despite invasive-range B. japonicus eggs/hatchlings being more vulnerable than native-range B. japonicus eggs/hatchlings to cannibalism by native-range conspecific tadpoles, and to predation by native-range frog tadpoles. Our findings thus support the idea that biological invasions can generate rapid changes in rates of cannibalism, but also show that decreases as well as increases can occur. Future work could investigate the proximate cues and selective forces responsible for this rapid decrease in rates of cannibalism by tadpoles in an invasive B. japonicus population.

Potential hotspots of amphibian roadkill risk in Spain

We test a forecasting strategy to identify potential hotspots of amphibian roadkill, combining the spatial distribution of amphibians, their relative risk of collision with vehicles and data on road density in Spain. We extracted a large dataset from studies reporting road casualties of 39 European amphibian species and then estimated the ‘relative roadkill risk’ of species as the frequency of occurrence of casualties for each amphibian and standardized by the range of distribution of the species in Europe. Using a map with the spatial distribution of Spanish amphibians at a spatial resolution of 10 × 10 Km squares, we estimated the ‘cumulative relative risk of roadkill’ for each amphibian assemblage as the sum of risk estimates previously calculated for each species. We also calculated the total length of roads in each square (road density). Finally, combining all layers of information, we elaborated a forecasting map highlighting the potential amphibian roadkill risk across Spain. Our findings are relevant to suggest areas that should be focused on at more detailed spatial scales. Additionally, we found that the frequency of roadkill was unrelated to the evolutionary distinctiveness score and conservation status of amphibian species, while was positively correlated with their distribution range.

Wild fauna as roadkill on a highway in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil

The death of wild vertebrates run over by motor vehicles on highways is one of the main causes of the loss of wildlife diversity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the diversity of wild fauna in roadkill incidents on a stretch of highway in the semiarid region of Brazil. The survey was conducted between March 2020 and May 2021 through active searches using a motorcycle. Killed vertebrates were analyzed and photographed in situ. Wild fauna was studied based on ecological descriptors, speed of movement and average rate of roadkill incidents. We compared total observed richness to that expected using nonparametric estimators. A total of 464 road-killed vertebrates were represented by two species of amphibians, 17 reptiles, 17 birds and 10 mammals. Amphibians were the most affected, totaling 245 individuals. Colubridae was the family with the largest number of species affected. Boiruna sertaneja and Boa constrictor were the only medium-size to large snakes killed. Herpailurus yagouaroundi and Leopardus tigrinus are respectively categorized as “least concern” and “vulnerable” according to the IUCN. The species accumulation curves continued to rise, showing no sign of approaching to an asymptote. Chao 2 and Jack 2 were the main estimators for road-killed wild vertebrates considering total richness. The diversity reported here is considered to be underestimated and greater monthly sampling efforts are required. Conservation strategies are urgently needed for the protection of wild vertebrate fauna to mitigate the staggering loss of biodiversity caused by the construction and operation of roads and highways in Brazil.

Bioecological representations and social characteristics of students influence their attitudes toward wild vertebrates

BackgroundThe origin of different human emotions directed towards animals (whether in the utilitarian, affective, conflictual, or cosmological context) is strongly influenced by sociocultural factors, although our genetic predispositions also play an important role in the origin of these emotions. Such emotions guide people’s representations of different species, which in turn affect their attitudes toward them. For this reason, understanding the factors that guide such attitudes becomes a key element in making conservationist decisions. In this sense, the main objective of this study was to analyze how sociocultural characteristics and bioecological representations can influence students’ attitudes of empathy or antipathy towards vertebrate species; as well as which classes and species are related to greater and lesser support in people for their conservation.MethodsTo do so, 667 interviews were conducted with students from urban (n = 1) and rural (n = 2) schools in the Brazilian semi-arid region. We used mixed generalized linear models (GLMM) to examine the effect of social factors and bioecological representations on empathy and antipathy attitudes and multiple factor analysis (MFA) to examine the relationship between the biological characteristics of the animals (positive or negative) and the attitudes toward them (antipathetic or empathetic).ResultsThrough GLMM, we found that students from the urban area and from lower school levels are more extreme in their responses, more frequently expressing both empathy and antipathy towards wild animals. Regarding gender, women had a higher frequency of responses associated with aversion than men for species perceived as dangerous and poisonous (p < 0.001). Through the MFA, we found greater support (empathy) for the conservation of fish species (31.56%), birds (29.37%) and mammals (25.94%), with emphasis on the Red-cowled cardinal (Paroaria dominicana) and clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) species, and less support (antipathy) for reptile and amphibian species such as rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus) and horned frogs (Ceratophrys joazeirensis).ConclusionsThe attitudinal ambivalence reflected by varying empathy for certain species and antipathy to others has important implications for wildlife conservation. Understanding the socioeconomic factors and emotions that influence attitudes towards animals can enable integrating educational strategies for the conservation of species, especially those which are culturally important.