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Hope for frog conservation got bleaker with a recent study showing that fungus-associated extinction is reducing amphibian biodiversity in Central America
October 13, 2009 | 4
Species such as the red-eyed tree frog ( Agalychnis callidryas ), pictured here, seem to be relatively abundant despite the presence of the disease....[More]
The banded horned tree frog ( Hemiphractus fasciatus ), pictured here, became extinct at all three of the sites where they were detected prior to chytrid's arrival....[More]
The lemur leaf frog ( Hylomantis lemur ), pictured here, disappeared from all of the sites that Lips surveyed. H. lemur lives in moist areas where the chytrid-causing fungus thrives....[More]
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4 Comments
Add CommentWould be about time to start breeding with these frogs before they're gone forever. We already lost the Monte Verde Golden Toad 20 years ago, it won't take that long other species are being wiped out before our eyes.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe Amphibian Ark is trying to do just that. They need finding to keep going however, so please consider donating to the cause for frogs.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI always learn late. I was surprized when fungus was given
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisit's own taxinomical rank -- 1 plants 2 fungus 3 animals.
Then some scientists told me 80-90% of plants on earth, are dependent on fungi to propogate their seeds and spores.
Maybe if you change the eating habit of little frog
it may be an experiment.
Meaning that fungus related problem are directly related to
the frogs eating habits.
Other species may be at threat because of this
fungi-plant-leave propagation syndrome.
Easy experiments: Remove food that is fungi propagated in this cute little frog.
Mark
I think about these little creatures. They would be
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisfun pets.
Then the little frogs eat insects. It is called the
food-chain in science.
So there are toxics in the leaves that the insects eat.
Through evolution turns this into fatal toxics for
the insect predetors -- cute little frogs.
We do not like to see this because of the beauty and
cuteness of the little frogs.
Yet in evolution -- the insects who may be very ugly have to
fight for their position in the food-chain too.
I as hobby scientist think the food chain is the little
frogs problem.
This is basic medicine: In the mouth nose and ears
and out the BT.
Are these vegitarian frogs? Maybe the insects are
winning the evolutionary dialetric.
Mark