Fish and Amphibians

I recently visited the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City to see an exhibition by David Wojnarowicz, an artist and activist who was just a few years older than me when he died of AIDS-related complications in 1992. One image in particular caught my eye. Titled What Is This Little Guy's Job in the World , it shows a baby toad cradled in a human hand. Legs confidently outstretched, the tiny amphibian seems blissfully unaware that its future depends entirely on human whim. Is the hand moving him out of harm's way, or is it about to snuff him out of existence? If the latter, Wojnarowicz wonders in his caption, "Does the world know? Does the world feel this? Does something get displaced?" Gazing at that little, uncomprehending toad, suddenly I was no longer standing in an art gallery but had traveled 25 years back and 1,000 miles south, to the swampy patch of woods across from my childhood home in Mississippi, where the humid air hung heavy beneath the pines...

When you hear talk about spring migration, it's birds that get all the glory but local salamanders and frogs undertake an impressive trek as well. Learn about local salamanders, frogs and other amphibians during the nature program "AMphibians in the AM," offered by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. It will be offered from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, March 9, at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center, 3795 Campton Hills Drive in St. Charles. Two staffers from the St. Charles Park District, restoration ecologist Ryan Solomon and nature program manager Pam Otto, will explain amphibian reproductive behaviors and their importance for land management. Following the indoor presentation, participants will head into the field to find amphibians in the wetlands. "Learn From the Experts" programs are for ages 16 and older. Advance registration is required. Registration fee is $10 per person. Call (630) 444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com to register. Learn ...

Amphibians are victims of lethal skin-disease epidemics. In the first global-scale study, researchers from 31 universities and research centers, including the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), collected skin bacteria from more than 2,300 healthy frogs and salamanders from 12 countries to describe microbes on a wide range of host animals to improve knowledge of the distribution of frog-skin bacteria, known to be important in maintaining amphibian health. Based on samples of 205 different species of amphibians, the team concluded that an animal's environment, especially the temperature, plays a big role in which bacteria live on its skin. Their most striking result, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution , was that amphibian skin microbes are more diverse in areas with cold winters and variable temperatures. This was unexpected because most animals and plants are more diverse in the tropics. "Finding higher overall diversity of these skin bacteria in temperat...

( more about Power Words ) amphibians      A group of animals that includes frogs, salamanders and caecilians. Amphibians have backbones and can breathe through their skin. Unlike reptiles, birds and mammals, unborn or unhatched amphibians do not develop in a special protective sac called an amniotic sac. breed      (noun) Animals within the same species that are so genetically similar that they produce reliable and characteristic traits. German shepherds and dachshunds, for instance, are examples of dog breeds. (verb) To produce offspring through reproduction. chytrid fungus      A common shortened name for a fungus — Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis —  that can induce a lethal infection in amphibians, especially frogs. The formal name of the infection is chytridiomycosis . climate      The weather conditions that typically exist in one area, in general, or over a long period. cloud...

The worst is yet to come for frogs, according to the team of researchers that discovered that the amphibian populations had been devastated by an amphibian plague. The most affected were toads and frogs, and that is not a good sign for our planet. There is a killer fungus known as Bd that is spreading all over the world, no matter the continent, and is triggering a mass amphibian extinction. This newly found amphibian plague is considered one of the worst diseases that affect frogs and toads ever recorded on Earth. According to a scientist, there are rainforests around the world that no longer have any frogs because the plague succeeded in eliminating, in just a matter of months, entire populations of local amphibians. Since 1970, at least 200 frog species have been cataloged as “on the brink of extinction.” But the rainforests of Latin America, that are infested by the killer fungus are the worst place for amphibians. Puzzling amphibian plague kills frogs, and that’s not a good...

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Herpetofauna of the Adirondacks Talk in Schenectady The Kelly Adirondack Center at Union College has announced Herpetofauna of the Adirondacks, a talk with Alvin Breisch, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Fish and Wildlife (retired), set for April 11, 2019, in the Old Chapel on the Union College Campus, 807 Union St, Schenectady. Refreshments will be served at 5 pm, with the lecture beginning at 5:30 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Forty species of amphibians and reptiles, collectively known as herpetofauna or herps, have been reported from the Adirondacks since the explorations by naturalist in the early 1800s. Drawing on results from the NYS Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project , Breisch will present information on the distribution and life-history of these often colorful creatures. Breisch’s tour of our northern herp species will also combine historical notes with information about threats to their populations. ...

MORE than 100 frogs, toads and newts have been helped by the Henley Toad Patrol so far. Volunteers have installed a 1km barrier along part of the A4155 Marlow Road at Oaken Grove Wood, near Henley Business School, to protect toads and other amphibians as they try to cross the raod to a spawning pond. They collect the creatures in buckets in the evening and carry them across. The annual migration began on February 6 and so far 100 toads, 10 frogs and three newts have been carried across. Co-ordinator Angelina Jones said the numbers had been lower this year due to the cooler and drier temperatures at dusk but estimated that about 5,000 toads would be helped. You can follow the group on Twitter at @henleytoads https://ift.tt/2TgrXau

Salamanders don’t often elicit feelings of admiration. A moist, yellow and brown soft-skinned salamander says “giggles” more than “cowboy tough.” But make no mistake, the blotched tiger salamander is one tough customer. And now it’s the state amphibian. Gov. Mark Gordon signed a law Tuesday that puts the salamander on the same level with   bison (the state mammal), western meadowlark (state bird) and even the horned toad (state reptile). Yet, not one of the wild amphibians will know of their newfound fame until spring — they hibernate through Wyoming’s harsh winter. Plus, they’re salamanders. When the amphibians wake in April and scurry through spring squalls and residual snow to their favorite ponds, they probably won’t notice many in the state cheering for their blotchy skin and amazing adaptability. They’ll be too busy looking for a mate to feel the love for the species’ new designation. Science students at Pathfinder High School in Lander nominated the resilient amphibian....

Amphibians are victims of lethal skin-disease epidemics. In the first global-scale study, researchers from 31 universities and research centers, including the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), collected skin bacteria from more than 2,300 healthy frogs and salamanders from 12 countries to describe microbes on a wide range of host animals to improve knowledge of the distribution of frog-skin bacteria, known to be important in maintaining amphibian health. Based on samples of 205 different species of amphibians, the team concluded that an animal's environment, especially the temperature, plays a big role in which bacteria live on its skin. Their most striking result, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution , was that amphibian skin microbes are more diverse in areas with cold winters and variable temperatures. This was unexpected because most animals and plants are more diverse in the tropics. "Finding higher overall diversity of these skin bacteria in temperat...

ANNAPOLIS — Several other states besides Maryland — nearly two dozen — have official amphibians. A group of students at Garrett County’s Southern Middle School discovered Maryland doesn’t have one, and they would like to rectify that. They found an ally in Sen. George Edwards, R-Washington/Allegany/Garrett. On their behalf, Edwards introduced legislation to designate the long-tailed salamander (eurycea longicauda in Latin) as Maryland’s state amphibian. The eighth-graders proposed the designation during a trip to the Hickory Environmental Education Center in Garrett County, he said. “They came up with the idea they would like to have the long-tailed salamander be the state amphibian because the colors of that amphibian are basically the state colors,” Edwards said. These particular critters live “from our area west into — I don’t think they get quite to the (Chesapeake) Bay area, but it takes in most of Central and Western Maryland,” he added. “So they asked ...

New research from Binghamton University, State University of New York, highlights the importance of considering cold temperature variability, and not just warming temperatures, when evaluating the impact of climate change. A team of Binghamton University researchers including Jessica Hua, assistant professor of biological sciences, and George Meindl, assistant professor of environmental studies, investigated the effect of climate change on amphibian health and their susceptibility to contaminants and parasites. When it comes to climate change, public attention often focuses on the effect of rising average temperatures. In contrast, this study focused on the effect of cold and variable temperatures, which are also consequences of climate change. The researchers discovered that cold temperatures make amphibians more susceptible to road salt but less susceptible to parasites. These findings reveal the importance of considering cold-temperature variability, and not just warming temperatu...

A study led by Binghamton University has found that cold temperature variability is just as important as global warming for projecting the negative impacts of climate change . Cold temperatures are consequences of climate change that are often overlooked. The research team investigated the effect of climate change on amphibian health, with an emphasis on their susceptibility to contaminants and parasites. Instead of focusing on the effect of rising temperatures, the researchers focused on the effect of cold and variable temperatures. The analysis revealed that cold temperatures make amphibians more susceptible to road salt but less susceptible to parasites. Study co-author Jessica Hua explained that the findings highlight the importance of considering cold-temperature variability, and not just warming temperatures, when evaluating the impacts of global climate disruption. “There is a lot of misconception that global climate change only refers to an increase in warming temperatures...

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS —  A Texas man was arraigned Wednesday on a state jail felony theft charge for taking a 14-year-old radiated tortoise from Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. KFXV reported that a police report was filed Feb. 6, saying an endangered radiated tortoise was stolen.  >> Read more trending news   The next day, the Brownsville Police Department said the male tortoise, valued at $10,000, was returned to the zoo unharmed.  The Brownsville Police Department  said in a separate Facebook post Julio Cesar Marroquin, 23,  was arrested Tuesday for the theft. Gladys Porter Zoo reptile and amphibians keeper Ashley Ortega  told KRGV the critically engaged species is native to Madagascar. “This is also what's hurting the wild counterparts is that a lot of poachers are taking them out of the wild for illegal pet trade or sometimes they make jewelry out of their shells,” Ortega said. Police say that may be why...

In a wayside puddle, not too from far vehicles barrelling down a main road in Wayanad, Kerala, Sonali Garg found some tadpoles she couldn’t quite recognise. Sonali, a PhD student at Delhi University and amphibian researcher, thought they looked “strange” and a genetic comparison failed to reveal any known matches in the region. Thus began a two-year-long journey for Sonali and her supervisor, Prof SD Biju, of searching for the adult frogs that these unrecognisable tadpoles would grow into. It was only in 2015, during a heavy monsoon, that they finally found them.   Sonali and Biju, an amphibian expert, discovered a new genus and species of narrow-mouthed frog -- a find that did not take place in the forested depths of the Western Ghats, one of India’s most biologically diverse regions, but just a few kilometres from human habitation. “What’s surprising is that there’s this new frog sitting right under our noses,” Sonali said. “It’s just managed to remain out of sight.” This ...

Despite widespread infection, some frog populations are surviving a deadly disease that is the equivalent of humankind's Ebola virus. The reason -- genetic diversity. That's the finding of a new study published this week in the journal Immunogenetics . Anna Savage, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Central Florida, is the lead author of the study. The research is important because frogs are facing what may be a mass extinction as a result of disease, Savage says. "If you have more genetic variation, you have more potential to respond and adapt to anything," Savage says. However, protecting frog habitats from destruction and pollution is critical, she says. "Don't destroy habitats, maintain large population sizes -- these simple things are the best actions to implement, given whatever limited information we have, to give populations the chance to rebound," she says. The virus Savage and her colleagues studied is called Ranaviru...

    In very early spring, melting snow and ice leave pools of water in the woods. By early summer, the pools dry up not to be seen until the next spring. The seasonal collections of water, called vernal or ephemeral pools, are the breeding ground for insects, crustaceans and amphibians of the woods.      The density of amphibians in a mature eastern woods is estimated to vary widely, between 200 and 8,000 per acre. Several species can reproduce only in vernal pools. Obligate amphibians in Maryland include the first salamander to arrive to the pools, the spotted salamander. These creatures actually walk through the snow looking for a vernal pool to begin the breeding cycle. Though seldom seen, salamanders support the health of the forest.        Other obligate animals are the marbled salamander, mole salamander, wood frog and fairy shrimp.        Some vernal pools are over 100 years old and have become an established am...

Delhi University researchers have discovered a new species of narrow-mouthed frogs in a roadside puddle in Kerala. Sonali Garg, a PhD student, and her research supervisor Professor SD Biju have named the new genus Mysticellus – derived from the Latin word meaning mysterious and diminutive. The findings were published in the February edition of the nature journal Scientific Reports . “Our discovery of this new frog genus from one of the most explored and researched regions in the Western Ghats indicates that documentation of amphibians in this globally recognized biodiversity hotspot is still far from being complete,” Garg told the website Nature in Focus . “This frog went unnoticed until now probably because it appears for less than four days for breeding activities and lives a secretive lifestyle for rest of the year.” The researchers discovered the new species after three years of extensive field and laboratory study. On its lower back, the Mysticellus has two black “false-eye” li...

A PLEA has been made for people not to steal wood due to be used to create a habitat for amphibians along a new road. Blackburn with Darwen Council's roads team has appealed to the public after logs stored for the habitat have been removed from the site of the Ellison Fold Way link road in Darwen. The scheme, linking Marsh House Lane and Ivinson Road will open up land on Bailey’s Field for the building of 350 homes and ease traffic on the A666. A spokesman said: "Part of the plan for the Ellison Fold Way Link Road project is to create a habitat for amphibians along the length of the new carriageway. Unfortunately some members of the public appear to see these piles as free fuel for their wood burning fires, and a number of logs have been removed from site. "Please could we appeal to people not to remove the logs, as they are integral to the development of a successful and sustainable wildlife habitat." "We ask that the logs are left in situ. "The log...

Wyoming's governor will consider a proposal by high school students to recognize the state's only species of salamander. A bill designating the blotched tiger salamander as Wyoming's state amphibian cleared the Wyoming House on a 50-9 vote Monday. The bill earlier passed the Senate. Students at Pathfinder High School in Lander came up with the idea. State representatives debated Monday whether to change the bill to recognize the small, greenish salamander as the state salamander rather than state amphibian. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The News Tribune #ReadLocal Republican Rep. Bob Nicholas, of Cheyenne, says he didn't want to rule out the state amphibian designation for Wyoming's 11 other species of amphibians. The House rejected the idea before sending the measure to Gov. Mark Gordon. http://bit.ly/2GpL37U

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Wyoming's governor will consider a proposal by high school students to recognize the state's only species of salamander. A bill designating the blotched tiger salamander as Wyoming's state amphibian cleared the Wyoming House on a 50-9 vote Monday. The bill earlier passed the Senate. Students at Pathfinder High School in Lander came up with the idea. State representatives debated Monday whether to change the bill to recognize the small, greenish salamander as the state salamander rather than state amphibian. Republican Rep. Bob Nicholas, of Cheyenne, says he didn't want to rule out the state amphibian designation for Wyoming's 11 other species of amphibians. The House rejected the idea before sending the measure to Gov. Mark Gordon. http://bit.ly/2RVwmeb

VESTAL (WBNG) — Yellow spotted salamanders on the Binghamton University campus face challenges while migrating each year. That’s because they cross Connector Road on campus, to get from the woods to Harpur Pond where they lay eggs. Binghamton University has been accommodating to keep its population of yellow spotted salamanders safe. In the past, the university has closed down the road, and even built ramps on the curbs to help the species walk across the street. But with a winter that causes road preparations to be made, the most recent struggle for the amphibians may be road salt. “Amphibians typically breathe through their skin. And also in the larval stage they’re stuck in the water, so they’re used to fresh water,” said assistant professor of biology Jessica Hua. “They are slimy, wet things and their skin is moist. If you put salt on it, salt kind of draws the moisture out of their skin and they will actually suffer from dehydration,” said associate professor of biology Jul...

Bengaluru : New birds and mammals aren’t discovered that often. “But in the last 10 years, more than 100 new frog species have been described from India,” said Kartik Shanker, an associate professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Bengaluru. So it’s “very valuable to revise amphibian lists periodically.” On January 18, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) published an updated list with details of the diversity of amphibian species in India, together with their conservation status. “We have been updating the list every year since 2009,” said Dinesh K.P., of the ZSI’s Western Ghats Regional Centre, which undertook the exercise. Also read:  Frogs, Birds, Lizards: What’s Behind the Spate of New Discoveries in India? Numerous taxonomic studies, and other research projects, undertaken every year use it to track which populations they need to study more, and why. In effect, the list is a government-authenticated document that collects all the available info on India’s amphib...

RUSTON, La. (KNOE) - New data shows 2018 was one of the hottest years on record. Environmental Science professors say Louisiana is at the forefront of climate change in the United States. "Louisiana has some of the first climate refugees in the world so we have people that are at the very edge where the land meets the sea and they're having to move inland because their land is going underwater,” says Dr. Julia Earl, an Environmental Science professor at Louisiana Tech University. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released their climate data Wednesday revealing 2018 was the fourth hottest year on record. Scientists say it’s becoming more and more common to hit these records. “The last five years have been the hottest years on record, out of like 150 to 200 years, I mean that's pretty substantial,” says Dr. Earl. Dr. Earl says climate change is occurring faster in the present than i...

Toad ladders have been readied ahead of the amphibians’ migrations in March. They help the animals’ journeys over roads, where they are prone to falling into drains and struggle to escape, to their breeding ponds. Nature group Wild Maidenhead introduced 100 ladders in 2017, the largest installation in the country – which is important given that the Deerswood area is home to one of the largest toad colonies in southern England. Wild Maidenhead, road maintenance company VolkerHighways and toad patrol volunteers helped with the ladders as part of the Royal Borough’s gully maintenance programme. Cllr Samantha Rayner (Con, Eton Wick), the council’s cabinet member for culture and communities, said: “Maidenhead is incredibly fortunate to have such a strong knot of toads and we must do all we can to preserve the population. The ladders will greatly assist their migration in allowing a safer journey. “The Royal Borough is a beautiful area with much wildlife and nature that is hugely value...

Bengaluru : New birds and mammals aren’t discovered that often. “But in the last 10 years, more than 100 new frog species have been described from India,” said Kartik Shanker, an associate professor at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Bengaluru. So it’s “very valuable to revise amphibian lists periodically.” On January 18, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) published an updated list with details of the diversity of amphibian species in India, together with their conservation status. “We have been updating the list every year since 2009,” said Dinesh K.P., of the ZSI’s Western Ghats Regional Centre, which undertook the exercise. Also read:  Frogs, Birds, Lizards: What’s Behind the Spate of New Discoveries in India? Numerous taxonomic studies, and other research projects, undertaken every year use it to track which populations they need to study more, and why. In effect, the list is a government-authenticated document that collects all the available info on India’s amphib...

Tigers are one of the planet’s most ferocious predators. The largest of all the big cats, these animals are at the top of the food chain in their domain, which once spread across Asia and India. Unfortunately, human population growth caused a loss of habitat and now these felines are on the verge of extinction. But another tiger lurks here on Long Island: a predator that rules its domain making a meal of anything that can fit into its powerful jaws lined with sharp teeth that snap down on its unsuspecting prey with incredible speed and ferocity. That predator is the tiger salamander. It’s an amphibian, related to newts, not big furry cats. It is a monster though, growing to lengths of eight inches. It got its name from both its striped coloration and its attitude. Big cats are known for the ability to hunt using stealth, camouflage, strength and quickness to overpower unsuspecting prey. Tiger salamanders do the same but from a different angle in the stealth and camouflage categorie...

Dr. Josiah Townsend, IUP biology professor, will present the program Discovering New Species in Central America at the Blue Spruce Park Lodge at 7 p.m. Friday. This Friends of the Parks program will highlight Dr. Townsend’s travels to Honduras and Nicaragua in search of reptiles and amphibians and the art of naming new species previously unknown to science. The program will also use examples from research being used to resolve land and water right conflicts in indigenous regions. Additional information about this year’s upcoming Friends of the Parks programs can be found at www.indianacountyparks.org or on the Friends of the Parks Facebook page. http://bit.ly/2t5TMDA

The recent heatwaves have proved deadly to many Australian animals, from feral horses to flying foxes . And it’s not just heatwaves that can cause mass die-offs. Last year, flooding rain wiped out entire Antarctic penguin colonies , while drought has previously caused mass mangrove diebacks around the Gulf of Carpentaria. These events generate headlines, but what about the aftermath? And are these catastrophic events part of a wider pattern? Read more: Killer climate: tens of thousands of flying foxes dead in a day Our research describes how species have responded to extreme weather events over the past 70 years. These responses can tell us a great deal about how species are likely to cope with change in the frequency and intensity of extreme events in coming years. We reviewed 517 studies, dating back to 1941 and conducted throughout the world, that examined how birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates or plants have responded to droughts, cyclones, floods, ...