Limb Deformities as an Emerging Parasitic Disease in Amphibians: Evidence from Museum Specimens and Resurvey Data

Johnson, Pieter T. J.; Lunde, Kevin B.; Zelmer, Derek A.; Werner, J. Kirwin

doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2003.00217.x

Cited by 86 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The types of abnormalities most commonly detected in the present study occurred in limbs. Abnormalities were well represented in Rhinella fernandezae and Leptodactylus latrans (Table 2), in agreement with previous reports (Ouellet et al 1997, Johnson et al 2003. Most of them were detected in combination with the presence of pigment disruptions, and among them were ectromelia (missing limb segments), ectrodactyly (complete absence of digits including metatarsal bone), and brachydactyly (abnormal number of phalanges).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Experimental and field evidence supports a causal association between the trematode Ribeiroia and limb malformations (Johnson et al 2003, Johnson & Hartson 2009. Predators, such as leeches, fish, and odonate naiads, can cause the loss of an appendage and/or abnormalities during the regeneration process .…”

Section: Resale or Republication Not Permitted Without Written Consenmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Several factors have been proposed as the cause of abnormalities in amphibians, with parasitic infection, injuries from predation, UV-B radiation, and chemical contamination being the most widespread and studied . Experimental and field evidence supports a causal association between the trematode Ribeiroia and limb malformations (Johnson et al 2003, Johnson & Hartson 2009. Predators, such as leeches, fish, and odonate naiads, can cause the loss of an appendage and/or abnormalities during the regeneration process .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Many abnormal amphibians occur in agricultural and non-agricultural areas in the US and Europe where they have been extensively studied (Ouellet et al 1997, Johnson et al 2003, Taylor et al 2005, Piha et al 2006. Abnormalities have also been reported in amphibian species from Asia (Gurushankara et al 2007) and South America.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some authors have discussed the necessity to assess and categorize different types of abnormalities and their prevalence considering life stage and species affected in order to improve the evaluation of the potential role of different stressors (Ouellet et al 1997, Ankley et al 2004). However, the relationship between the causative agent(s) and the observed abnormalities in the environment is still poorly understood (Kiesecker 2010).Many abnormal amphibians occur in agricultural and non-agricultural areas in the US and Europe where they have been extensively studied (Ouellet et al 1997, Johnson et al 2003, Taylor et al 2005, Piha et al 2006. Abnormalities have also been reported in amphibian species from Asia (Gurushankara et al 2007) and South America.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Abnormalities in amphibian populations inhabiting agroecosystems in northeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Agostini¹,

Kacoliris²,

Demetrio³

et al. 2013

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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The occurrence of abnormalities in amphibians has been reported in many populations, and its increase could be related to environmental pollution and habitat degradation. We evaluated the type and prevalence of abnormalities in 5 amphibian populations from agroecosystems with different degrees of agricultural disturbance (cultivated and reference areas). We detected 9 types of abnormalities, of which the most frequent were those occurring in limbs. The observed prevalence of abnormality in assessed populations from cultivated and reference areas was as follows: Rhinella fernandezae (37.1 and 10.2%, respectively), Leptodactylus latrans adults (28.1 and 9.2%) and juveniles (32.9 and 15.3%), and Hypsiboas pulchellus (11.6 and 2.8%). Scinax granulatus populations did not show abnormalities. Pseudis minuta, which was only detected in the reference area, exhibited a prevalence of 13.3%. For R. fernandezae, L. latrans, and H. pulchellus, generalized linear mixed models showed that prevalence of abnormalities was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in cultivated than in reference areas. L. latrans juveniles were more vulnerable to abnormalities than adults (p < 0.05). The presence of abnormalities in some species inhabiting different agroecosystems suggests that environmental stress factors might be responsible for their occurrence. While we detected pesticides (endosulfan, cypermethrin, and chlorpyrifos) and lower dissolved oxygen levels in ponds of the cultivated area, no data are currently available on how other factors, such as injuries from predators and parasite infections, vary by land use. Further research will be necessary to evaluate possible causes of abnormalities detected in the present study mainly in the context of factor interactions.KEY WORDS: Agricultural disturbance · Pesticide · Brachydactyly · Ectrodactyly · Scoliosis · Developmental abnormality · Teratogen Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherDis Aquat Org 104: [163][164][165][166][167][168][169][170][171] 2013 studied . Experimental and field evidence supports a causal association between the trematode Ribeiroia and limb malformations (Johnson et al. 2003, Johnson & Hartson 2009. Predators, such as leeches, fish, and odonate naiads, can cause the loss of an appendage and/or abnormalities during the regeneration process . Laboratory studies indicate that UV-B radiation and chemical contaminants, including pesticides used in agricultural practices, can cause malformations (Greulich & Pflugmacher 2003, Brunelli et al. 2009, Agostini et al. 2010), but to date field studies have not provided conclusive evidence (Lannoo 2008. Some of these factors are considered the cause of amphibian population decline and extinction reported on a global scale, although the relationship between amphibian malformations and population declines remains unclear (Blaustein et al. 2011). Some authors have discussed the necessity to assess and categorize different types of abnormalities and their prevalence considering life s...

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Resale or Republication Not Permitted Without Written Consenmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Abnormalities in amphibian populations inhabiting agroecosystems in northeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Agostini¹,

Kacoliris²,

Demetrio³

et al. 2013

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Musculoskeletal and tendinous details of selected anomalies in the locomotor system of anurans

Soliz,

Abdala

2024

The Anatomical Record

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Previous studies on anuran anomalies predominantly examine isolated cases or focus on external and skeletal features. Our study analyzes a comprehensive sample collected from 1991 to 2017, examining the muscle‐tendon system in 24 anuran species across adult, juvenile, and metamorphic stages. This extensive sample size allows us to investigate consistent anomaly patterns across different developmental stages and anuran families, exploring potential common developmental or genetic factors. Our detailed anatomical examination, encompassing musculature, tendons, and skeletal structures, revealed that 21% of the specimens displayed anomalies, a noteworthy finding considering the extensive sample size and duration of the studied sample. Of these anomalies, 17% affected the locomotor system, predominantly in the upper limbs. Key anomalies included, forelimbs and hindlimbs brachydactyly, rotation in forelimbs, partial kyphotic lordosis, and scoliosis. Notably, the digit 4 in the forelimbs and digits 4 and 5 in the hindlimbs were particularly susceptible to teratogenic effects, indicating possible prolonged exposure during development. Our study also uncovered combinations of anomalies and identified a phenotype similar to Poland syndrome. The findings validate the “Logic of Monsters” (LoMo theory) by Alberch, although the name itself may not be deemed appropriate, showing that developmental disruptions in tetrapods are not random but follow distinct sequences and patterns. The name, while unfortunate, accurately reflects the unusual nature of these developmental anomalies. This contributes to the evolving “Evo‐Devo‐Path” framework, highlighting the study's importance in understanding developmental disruptions in tetrapods.

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Fluid preservation causes minimal reduction of parasite detectability in fish specimens: A new approach for reconstructing parasite communities of the past?

Fiorenza

Leslie

Torchin

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Long‐term datasets are needed to evaluate temporal patterns in wildlife disease burdens, but historical data on parasite abundance are extremely rare. For more than a century, natural history collections have been accumulating fluid‐preserved specimens, which should contain the parasites infecting the host at the time of its preservation. However, before this unique data source can be exploited, we must identify the artifacts that are introduced by the preservation process. Here, we experimentally address whether the preservation process alters the degree to which metazoan parasites are detectable in fluid‐preserved fish specimens when using visual parasite detection techniques. We randomly assigned fish of three species (Gadus chalcogrammus, Thaleichthys pacificus, and Parophrys vetulus) to two treatments. In the first treatment, fish were preserved according to the standard procedures used in ichthyological collections. Immediately after the fluid‐preservation process was complete, we performed parasitological dissection on those specimens. The second treatment was a control, in which fish were dissected without being subjected to the fluid‐preservation process. We compared parasite abundance between the two treatments. Across 298 fish individuals and 59 host–parasite pairs, we found few differences between treatments, with 24 of 27 host–parasite pairs equally abundant between the two treatments. Of these, one pair was significantly more abundant in the preservation treatment than in the control group, and two pairs were significantly less abundant in the preservation treatment than in the control group. Our data suggest that the fluid‐preservation process does not have a substantial effect on the detectability of metazoan parasites. This study addresses only the effects of the fixation and preservation process; long‐term experiments are needed to address whether parasite detectability remains unchanged in the months, years, and decades of storage following preservation. If so, ecologists will be able to reconstruct novel, long‐term datasets on parasite diversity and abundance over the past century or more using fluid‐preserved specimens from natural history collections.

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Limb Deformities as an Emerging Parasitic Disease in Amphibians: Evidence from Museum Specimens and Resurvey Data

Cited by 86 publications

References 43 publications

Abnormalities in amphibian populations inhabiting agroecosystems in northeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Abnormalities in amphibian populations inhabiting agroecosystems in northeastern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Musculoskeletal and tendinous details of selected anomalies in the locomotor system of anurans

Fluid preservation causes minimal reduction of parasite detectability in fish specimens: A new approach for reconstructing parasite communities of the past?

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