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Carrasco-Medina AS, Salla RF, Sebben A, da Silva HR, Passos FD, Toledo LF, Rebouças R. The cardiorespiratory system of miniature frogs. J Anat 2024; 244:232-248. [PMID: 37898559 PMCID: PMC10780167 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Anurans of the genus Brachycephalus are among the smallest vertebrates in the world, due to an extreme process of miniaturization. As an example of this process, Brachycephalus species show loss of fingers, loss of the eardrum and middle ear, bone fusions, and the presence of paravertebral plates and parotic plaque. However, no studies addressing the consequences of miniaturization on internal organs, such as the lungs and heart, are currently available. Thus, this study aimed to investigate if overall small body size has affected the cardiorespiratory system. We investigated, via dissections, individuals of four Brachycephaloidea species: Brachycephalus rotenbergae, B. pitanga, Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, and Ischnocnema parva. We observed that B. rotenbergae and B. pitanga present a reduction of the atrial septum and absence of the carotid body. On the other hand, despite being a member of the sister genus to Brachycephalus (both genera belong to the Brachycephalidae), individuals of Ischnocnema present a heart with a complete septum and carotid body; this is also observed in E. johnstonei (Eleutherodactylidae). We observed that B. rotenbergae and B. pitanga have thin skin with a one to two cell thick germ layer, and their lungs likely exhibit lower blood supply when compared to individuals of the E. johnstonei and I. parva species. Based on the observed structures, we suggest that in species of Brachycephalus, respiration is performed mainly through the skin, and their lungs may have a reduced respiratory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Santiago Carrasco-Medina
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Instituto de Biologia, Unicamp, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Unicamp, Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Raquel Fernanda Salla
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonio Sebben
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
| | - Hélio Ricardo da Silva
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Luís Felipe Toledo
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Instituto de Biologia, Unicamp, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raoni Rebouças
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Instituto de Biologia, Unicamp, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Unicamp, Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil
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Buttimer S, Moura-Campos D, Greenspan SE, Neely WJ, Ferrante L, Toledo LF, Becker CG. Skin microbiome disturbance linked to drought-associated amphibian disease. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14372. [PMID: 38288868 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The onset of global climate change has led to abnormal rainfall patterns, disrupting associations between wildlife and their symbiotic microorganisms. We monitored a population of pumpkin toadlets and their skin bacteria in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest during a drought. Given the recognized ability of some amphibian skin bacteria to inhibit the widespread fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), we investigated links between skin microbiome health, susceptibility to Bd and host mortality during a die-off event. We found that rainfall deficit was an indirect predictor of Bd loads through microbiome disruption, while its direct effect on Bd was weak. The microbiome was characterized by fewer putative Bd-inhibitory bacteria following the drought, which points to a one-month lagged effect of drought on the microbiome that may have increased toadlet susceptibility to Bd. Our study underscores the capacity of rainfall variability to disturb complex host-microbiome interactions and alter wildlife disease dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Buttimer
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- One Health Microbiome Center, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Ecology Institute, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Diego Moura-Campos
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sasha E Greenspan
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Wesley J Neely
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA
| | - Lucas Ferrante
- Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Luís Felipe Toledo
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - C Guilherme Becker
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- One Health Microbiome Center, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Ecology Institute, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Mari RDB, Mori GM, Vannucchi FS, Ribeiro LF, Correa CN, Lima SKS, Teixeira L, Sandretti‐Silva G, Nadaline J, Bornschein MR. Relationships of mineralized dermal layer of mountain endemic miniature frogs with climate. J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. de B. Mari
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
| | - G. M. Mori
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
| | - F. S. Vannucchi
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
| | - L. F. Ribeiro
- Mater Natura – Instituto de Estudos Ambientais Curitiba Paraná Brazil
| | - C. N. Correa
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
| | - S. K. S. Lima
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
| | - L. Teixeira
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
- Mater Natura – Instituto de Estudos Ambientais Curitiba Paraná Brazil
| | - G. Sandretti‐Silva
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
- Mater Natura – Instituto de Estudos Ambientais Curitiba Paraná Brazil
| | - J. Nadaline
- Mater Natura – Instituto de Estudos Ambientais Curitiba Paraná Brazil
- Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal do Paraná Curitiba Paraná Brazil
| | - M. R. Bornschein
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Ambientais, Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) São Paulo Brazil
- Mater Natura – Instituto de Estudos Ambientais Curitiba Paraná Brazil
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Maria M, Al-Razi H, Borzée A, Bin Muzaffar S. Biofluorescence in the herpetofauna of northeast Bangladesh. HERPETOZOA 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.35.e76225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence is a poorly documented phenomenon in vertebrates and has been suggested to play several biological roles. With increased study, the number of species in which biofluorescence has been identified is increasing steadily. We conducted a UV light survey for biofluorescence in the herpetofauna in Lawachara National Park, Bangladesh and found biofluorescence in one amphibian (Microhyla berdmorei) and three reptile species (Boiga cyanea, Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis and Hemidactylus platyurus).
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Bornschein MR, Nadaline J, Ribeiro LF, Sandretti-Silva G, Rivas MFF, Guerra BDM, Teixeira L. An estimate of the area of occupancy and population size of Brachycephalus tridactylus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) to reassess its conservation status, with a proposal for conservation measures. PeerJ 2022; 9:e12687. [PMID: 35036161 PMCID: PMC8710056 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We are experiencing a global crisis in conservation, which has led to the prioritization of targets, such as nations, regions, and animal groups, which are necessary while resources are disputed. Brazil is a priority not only because of its megadiversity, high rates of endemism, and frequent descriptions of new species but also because of its high levels of deforestation. Among the species groups prioritized for conservation is the anurans (Amphibia: Anura), the population of which is severely declining. One group of anurans is the genus Brachycephalus, which includes 37 endemic species in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Some of these species have highly restricted distributions (<100 ha). Thirty new species have been described since 2000, and 55.3% of all species are threatened with extinction. Brachycephalus tridactylus was only recently described and remains restricted to its type locality. Because of its reduced geographical distribution (0.41 km2), it has been proposed to be considered as Vulnerable. The objective of this study is to reevaluate the conservation status of Brachycephalus tridactylus and propose conservation measures. Methods We searched for new populations during 2016–2020, evaluated in loco impacts and potential impacts on the species’ population, and performed an analysis of the density of this population and estimated its size. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria were used to assess the conservation status of the species. Results We recorded the species in seven new localities (from 715–1,140 m above sea level) in the state of São Paulo up to 33 km from the type locality of the species (in state of Paraná). We estimated the area of occupancy as 148.44 km2, densities as one calling male per 4.05 m2 and 130.00 m2, and a total population size of 4,429,722 adult individuals. Based on our finding, we proposed three lines of management: (1) formation of fire brigades, (2) management of residents’ mules in the conservation unit and surrounding areas, and (3) management of degraded areas. We recommend changing the species’ conservation status from Vulnerable to Endangered because of its fragmented distribution and decline in the area of occupancy and in the quality of its habitat. Our results have expanded the species previous geographic distribution and delimited areas without previous records. Our estimates of population density and size are in accordance with those verified for congeners. The conservation of this species benefits the environments and other species that inhabit them, being, therefore, strategic for receiving conservation actions that will spread throughout the ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos R Bornschein
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil.,Mater Natura-Instituto de Estudos Ambientais, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Júnior Nadaline
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Bruno de Morais Guerra
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Larissa Teixeira
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil
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Siqueira CC, Vrcibradic D, Kiefer MC, Almeida-Gomes M, Nogueira-Costa P, Borges-Junior VNT, Sluys MV, Rocha CFD. Anuran species composition and density estimates from an Atlantic Forest area within the APA Serra da Mantiqueira, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. BIOTA NEOTROPICA 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2021-1265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract: Among amphibian species from high elevation areas in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest there is a high percentage of threatened and endemic species, but there is still a relative scarcity of local inventories for these organisms. Here, we present data on anuran composition, relative abundance and estimated densities for leaf-litter frogs from an Atlantic Forest area within the APA Serra da Mantiqueira, in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, based on results of a short-term survey carried out at altitudes of 1,350-1,750 m, in November 2005 (with additional records from surveys made in 2010 and 2011). Three sampling methods were used during the 2005 survey: plot sampling, visual encounter surveys (VES; performed during the day, at the dusk, and at night), and pitfall traps with drift fences; only non-standardized visual searches were employed during the 2010 and 2011 surveys. We recorded 24 species, with the direct-developer Ischnocnema sp. (gr. lactea) being the most abundant. Most anurans (90% of all individuals) sampled by VES were captured during the crepuscular and nocturnal periods. The estimated density of the local leaf-litter frog assemblage based on plot sampling was 18.4 ind/100 m2, which is one of the highest values currently reported for Atlantic Rainforest areas. This is the first study analyzing the anuran fauna composition of an Atlantic Forest area within the APA Serra da Mantiqueira and adds to the body of knowledge on the fauna of the southern region of Rio de Janeiro state.
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Folly M, de Luna‐Dias C, Miguel IR, Ferreira JC, Machado A, Tadeu Lopes R, Pombal JP. Tiny steps towards greater knowledge: An osteological review with novel data on the Atlantic Forest toadlets of the
Brachycephalus ephippium
species group. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuella Folly
- Departamento de Vertebrados Museu Nacional Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Cyro de Luna‐Dias
- Laboratório de Anfíbios e Répteis Departamento de Zoologia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Ingrid R. Miguel
- Departamento de Vertebrados Museu Nacional Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Julio C. Ferreira
- Departamento de Vertebrados Museu Nacional Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Alessandra Machado
- Laboratório de Instrumentação Nuclear Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós‐graduação e Pesquisa em Engenharia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Ricardo Tadeu Lopes
- Laboratório de Instrumentação Nuclear Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós‐graduação e Pesquisa em Engenharia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - José P. Pombal
- Departamento de Vertebrados Museu Nacional Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
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