Tourism may threaten wildlife disease refugia

Kok, Philippe J. R.; Laking, Alexandra E.; Smith, Carl; Berti, Arturo; Martel, An; Pasmans, Frank

doi:10.1111/conl.12902

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…unintended transport of water or soil through equipment), are likely a major long-distance vector for the salamander plague. This was demonstrated for the closely related chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [49] and expected for Bsal [e.g. 6,8,50].…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 55%

Alpine salamanders at risk? The current status of an emerging fungal pathogen

Böning,

Lötters,

Barzaghi

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Amphibians globally suffer from emerging infectious diseases like chytridiomycosis caused by the continuously spreading chytrid fungi. One is Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) and its disease ‒ the ‘salamander plague’ ‒ which is lethal to several caudate taxa. Recently introduced into Western Europe, long distance dispersal of Bsal, likely through human mediation, has been reported. Herein we study if Alpine salamanders (Salamandra atra and S. lanzai) are yet affected by the salamander plague in the wild. Members of the genus Salamandra are highly susceptible to Bsal leading to the lethal disease. Moreover, ecological modelling has shown that the Alps and Dinarides, where Alpine salamanders occur, are generally suitable for Bsal. We analysed skin swabs of 818 individuals of Alpine salamanders and syntopic amphibians at 40 sites between 2017 to 2022. Further, we compiled those with published data from 319 individuals from 13 sites concluding that Bsal infections were not detected. Our results suggest that the salamander plague so far is absent from the geographic ranges of Alpine salamanders. That means that there is still a chance to timely implement surveillance strategies. Among others, we recommend prevention measures, citizen science approaches, and ex situ conservation breeding of endemic salamandrid lineages.

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Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 55%

Alpine salamanders at risk? The current status of an emerging fungal pathogen

Böning,

Lötters,

Barzaghi

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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“…nov. should be listed as Critically Endangered. Owing to its current strong isolation the species is less prone to human-mediated introduction of pathogens, such as chytridiomycosis, but recent incursions for documentary filming [ 44 ] might have put the species at risk if adequate disinfection protocols have not been followed [ 45 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bones and all: a new critically endangered Pantepui species of Stefania (Anura: Hemiphractidae) and a new osteological synapomorphy for the genus

Kok

2023

Zoological Lett

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The hemiphractid frog genus Stefania is one of the many ancient (near-) endemic lineages of vertebrates inhabiting the biodiverse Pantepui biogeographical region in the Guiana Shield Highlands of northern South America—the famous “Lost World” of Arthur Conan Doyle. Previous molecular analyses of the genus Stefania have indicated that species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships are often incongruent with morphological traits in that clade. A substantial number of “taxonomically cryptic” species, often microendemic, remain to be described. This is notably the case for an isolated population from the summit of Wei-Assipu-tepui, a small table-top mountain at the border between Guyana and Brazil. That population was previously known as Stefania sp. 6 and belongs to the S. riveroi clade. The new species is phylogenetically distinct, but phenotypically extremely similar to S. riveroi, a taxon found only on the summit of Yuruaní-tepui in Venezuela and recovered as sister to all the other known species in the S. riveroi clade. The new taxon is described based on morphology and osteology. Data about genetic divergences within the S. riveroi clade are provided. A new synapomorphy for the genus Stefania is proposed: the presence of a distal process on the third metacarpal. Amended definitions are offered for the three other species in the S. riveroi clade (S. ayangannae, S. coxi, S. riveroi). The new species should be listed as Critically Endangered according to IUCN criteria.

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“…nov. should be listed as critically endangered. Owing to its strong isolation, the species is currently not threatened by the introduction of pathogens, such as chytridiomycosis, which is present in remote areas of Pantepui that are subjected to tourism (Kok et al 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Out of sight, but not out of mind: a name for the Stefania (Anura: Hemiphractidae) from the summit of Murisipán-tepui (Bolívar State, Venezuela)

Kok

2023

Journal of Vertebrate Biology

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Previous molecular analyses of the frog genus Stefania have shown that species boundaries in that group are often difficult to delineate when solely based on morphology. As a consequence, “taxonomically cryptic” species are not uncommon in the genus. Several highland Stefania species remain to be described, some potentially critically endangered due to their highly restricted geographic ranges. One case is the microendemic Stefania population from the summit of Murisipán-tepui, a poorly explored table-top mountain in the Los Testigos Massif, a small tepui mountain range located north to the much larger Chimantá Massif in southern Venezuela. That population, mistaken as S. satelles for two decades, was later reported as Stefania sp. 2 and belongs to the S. ginesi clade. The new species is phylogenetically distinct but phenotypically similar to S. satelles, a taxon restricted to its type-locality, i.e. the summit of Aprada-tepui in Venezuela. The new species is described based on morphology and cranial osteology. Molecular divergences with S. satelles are high (> 8%) in the barcoding fragment of 16S rRNA. Amended definitions for the two other described species in the S. ginesi clade (S. ginesi and S. satelles) are also provided. The new species should be listed as critically endangered according to IUCN criteria.

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Tourism may threaten wildlife disease refugia

Cited by 6 publications

References 27 publications

Alpine salamanders at risk? The current status of an emerging fungal pathogen

Alpine salamanders at risk? The current status of an emerging fungal pathogen

Bones and all: a new critically endangered Pantepui species of Stefania (Anura: Hemiphractidae) and a new osteological synapomorphy for the genus

Out of sight, but not out of mind: a name for the Stefania (Anura: Hemiphractidae) from the summit of Murisipán-tepui (Bolívar State, Venezuela)

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