New Chytrid article

[Ed]

Interesting new paper.. implications are that the global movement of amphibians infected with the fungus allowed the evolution of a hypervirulent strain.

Multiple emergences of genetically diverse amphibian-infecting chytrids include a globalized hypervirulent recombinant lineage

Ed

 

[Jan]

Thanks for posting Ed and glad to see you back on the forum.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

I am literally choking at the bit to read the full text, but my Uni Library has not received this issue of PNAS yet.

 

[ignatz]

More bad news there...the article is pretty scary.

I've just embarked on a project to ascertain the conservation status of Ambystoma mavortium in New Mexico. A BIG problem here is that larvae of several subspecies of A. mavortium are sold as bait ("waterdogs"), and either escape or are released, where they're suspected of spreading disease, including Bd and iridoviruses, and where they genetically "pollute" local populations.

New Mexico Game and Fish came down hard on the trade in even captive bred amphibians for the "pet" trade, but the bait trade (including other taxa such as crayfish, which are causing nightmarish ecosystem change all over the world) were excluded. That, of course, is nuts. The reason given for controlling the flow of amphibians into the state for the pet trade: the potential for the spread of Bd. The reason to exclude animals for bait...go figure.