Common Toad Bufo Melanostictus Research Articles

EFFECTS OF DIAZINON ON LARVAE OF THE ASIAN COMMON TOAD (BUFO MELANOSTICTUS, SCHNEIDER 1799)

Continuous subchronic exposure experiments were conducted to assess the effects of diazinon, an organophosphate pesticide, on the survival, growth and activity of larvae of the Asian common toad Bufo melanostictus. Two larval stages, the gill stage (Gosner stages 21 and 22) and gill-atrophy stage (Gosner stages 24 and 25), were continuously exposed to 4 microg/L, 400 mirog/L, and 10 mg/L of commercial-grade diazinon for 30 d. Treatments and untreated controls were maintained in triplicate with water changed and pesticide concentrations renewed every 3 d. Observations showed that subchronic exposure to 400 microg/L and 10 mg/L diazinon caused a significant dose-dependent increase in mortality compared to the control, regardless of the age at which larvae were exposed. One hundred percent mortality was observed in larvae exposed to 10 mg/L. No clear age-related sensitivity was evident in this study. The lethal concentrations at which 50% of the tadpoles (LC50) died during 30 d of continuous exposure were 6 and 7.5 mg/L for gill stage and gill-atrophy stage larvae, respectively. Diazinon impaired larval growth and activity. Tail abnormalities were apparent in larvae exposed to 400 microg/L and 10 mg/L of diazinon. This investigation provides the first empirical evidence of the negative effects of diazinon on the survival, growth and activity of B. melanostictus. The high degree of diazinon toxicity in this study highlights the need to consider important nontarget groups when recommending safe levels of pesticide application.

A report on the Puddle (Bleating) Frog Occidozyga lima (Gravenhorst) from theTeknaf Peninsula, Bangladesh, with notes on the presence of other vertebrates

On the basis of a six-day survey of southeastern Bangladesh Occidozyga lima appeared to be a common species in the Teknaf Peninsula. The most common amphibians of the region are the Cricket Frog Limnonectes limnocharis, Skipping Frog Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis, Ornate Narrow-mouthed Frog Microhyla ornata, Indian Bull Frog Hoplobatrachus tigerinus and Common Toad Bufo melanostictus. Two species of tree frogs Polypedates leucomystax and Polypedates maculatus are also common.

Records of Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) feeding on Amphibia, with A new record from the Kruger National Park

An early record of a sandfly feeding on an amphibian is that of Hewlett (1913, Indian J. med. Res. 1: 34-38) who wrote "I have twice seen a sandfly apparently biting the head of the common toad Bufo melanostictus".