Fish and Amphibians

Amphibians play a crucial role in ecosystems. Their tadpoles are food for other species. They recycle nutrients. And they are food more a great range of predators. But our understanding of many amphibians is poor. Many have not been studied and classified officially. Pamela Gonzalez del Pliego has looked at 2,200 of these data deficient amphibians and come up with worrying conclusions. More than 1,000 data-deficient amphibians are threatened with extinction. Almost 500 species are endangered or critically endangered. The threats are rising temperatures, the clearing of natural habitat, fire and pollution. When species live on mountain tops, there is nowhere for them to go as temperatures rise. They become extinct. In the tropical Andes, 75% of the original forest has been cleared for agriculture. And amphibians don’t cope well with fire.  Pamela Gonzalez del Pliego say we need to know more about what amphibians we have and change our approach to the land to make habitat conservatio...

Staff at the Anniston Museum of Natural History hope to relieve people’s fear of reptiles and amphibians at the institution’s annual HerpFest on Saturday. “If we can take away some of the fear the public has about snakes or alligators or whatever it could be, that’s what we want to do,” organizer Sarah Burke said.  Six organizations will showcase their reptiles and amphibians and hold presentations, including two Jacksonville State University students. “Dr. Frog” also will make an appearance, Burke said of JSU’s Herp Lab instructor, George Cline. “The main purpose of HerpFest is to educate everybody about reptiles,” Burke said. “Because whether you love them or hate them, you have to see them.” Burke said the event has grown since it started in the late 1990s and she continues to see growth this year. “We have added new organizations like the Alabama 4H Science School last year, and Cheaha State Park is coming out this year,” she said. HerpFest will includ...

Dr Martina Duft, ecotoxicology/regulatory affairs expert at knoell Germany GmbH, examines the best practice for implementing and dealing with the new ED criteria. Endocrine disruptors (EDs), their definition and criteria, along with feasible options for testing and assessment have been extensively worked on and discussed in science and regulatory panels, in public and in the arena of national and global politics. Since 2002, the WHO/International Programme on Chemical Safety definition of an endocrine disruptor has been unanimously agreed upon as "an exogenous substance or mixture that alters function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently causes adverse effects in an intact organism, or its progeny, or (sub)populations." Consequently, distinct adverse effects and their causal relationship to substance exposure need to be established by a proven endocrine mode of action (see Fig 1 below). Only as a result of tediously detailed and fierce discussions, were the scie...

Northern leopard frogs can only be found in one place in Rhode Island. (istock) Northern leopard frog about to disappear from Rhode Island By TODD McLEISH/ecoRI News contributor When Scott Buchanan was hired as a wildlife biologist at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management last year, he became the first full-time herpetologist on the state payroll. It’s a sign, he said, that reptiles and amphibians are in need of management and conservation in the state. “To be in herpetology is to be on the front lines of the global biodiversity crisis,” he said. “We’re at risk of losing, globally, roughly half of the reptile and amphibian species on Earth in the next 100 years. Turtles and frogs are in a neck-and-neck competition for the unfortunate title of being the most endangered wildlife taxa.” While Rhode Island’s reptiles and amphibians haven’t experienced the level of habitat loss and disease that occurs in Southeast Asia or the tropics, Buchanan said...

NEW YORK: Artificial sources of light at night time may harm amphibian populations , a study has found. Researchers exposed wood frogs to a control and two anthropogenic light conditions: intensified daytime illuminance and artificial light at night (ALAN). The study, published in the Environmental Pollution , found that both the intensified daytime illuminance treatments and the ALAN treatment decreased hatching success in tadpoles. "Research on the effects of light pollution has recently seen a surge in popularity," said Jessica Hua, an assistant professor at Binghamton University in the US. "It's difficult to find any place on Earth that is not affected by even minimal light pollution. We recognised a gap in the research and realised that not much was known about how light pollution can impact amphibians ," Hua said in a statement. "Since amphibians are sensitive to environmental changes, they make great models for studying how pollution of any ty...

Light at night might be convenient for humans, but it's having a detrimental effect on amphibian populations, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York. "Research on the effects of light pollution has recently seen a surge in popularity," said Binghamton University Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Jessica Hua. "It's difficult to find any place on Earth that is not affected by even minimal light pollution. We recognized a gap in the research and realized that not much was known about how light pollution can impact amphibians. Since amphibians are sensitive to environmental changes, they make great models for studying how pollution of any type can impact other species." Hua, along with graduate student Grascen Shidemantle and undergraduate student Dyllan May, exposed wood frogs to a control and two anthropogenic light conditions: intensified daytime illuminance and artificial light at night (ALAN). They fou...

Light at night might be convenient for humans, but it's having a detrimental effect on amphibian populations, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York. "Research on the effects of light pollution has recently seen a surge in popularity," Jessica Hua, an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Binghamton University, said. "It's difficult to find any place on Earth that is not affected by even minimal light pollution. We recognized a gap in the research and realized that not much was known about how light pollution can impact amphibians. Since amphibians are sensitive to environmental changes, they make great models for studying how pollution of any type can impact other species." Hua, along with graduate student Grascen Shidemantle and undergraduate student Dyllan May, exposed wood frogs to a control and two anthropogenic light conditions: intensified daytime illuminance and artificial light at night (ALAN). ...

Artificial sources of light at night time may harm amphibian populations, a study has found. Researchers exposed wood frogs to a control and two anthropogenic light conditions: intensified daytime illuminance and artificial light at night . The study, published in the Environmental Pollution , found that both the intensified daytime illuminance treatments and the artificial light at night treatment decreased hatching success in tadpoles. “Research on the effects of light pollution has recently seen a surge in popularity,” said Jessica Hua, an Assistant Professor at Binghamton University in the U.S. “It’s difficult to find any place on Earth that is not affected by even minimal light pollution. We recognised a gap in the research and realised that not much was known about how light pollution can impact amphibians...Since amphibians are sensitive to environmental changes, they make great models for studying how pollution of any type can impact other species.” Human impact on wildlife ...

A deadly disease has been traveling the world for more than three decades now. Called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis , or Bd, it’s a fungal pathogen that infects the skin of frogs, toads and other amphibians. A related fungus, B. salamandrivorans , infects salamanders and newts. Together, these pathogens are known as chytrids (KIH-trids) because the disease they cause is called chytridiomycosis (Kih-TRIH-dee-oh-my-oh-KOH-sis). Scientists have known that these pathogens can be deadly. They have documented the effects that chytrids have had on amphibian populations. Now researchers have tallied up the effects of one chytrid, Bd, on species around the world. Their report appeared March 29 in the journal Science . Bd has played a role in the decline of some 500 amphibian species in the past 50 years, the scientists found. Australia and the Americas have been especially hard hit. But these declines have been occurred around the world, except in Asia. That’s where the fungus is thought to ...

Wetlands are an important — and in some areas a disappearing — part of Missouri’s natural landscape. May is American Wetlands Month. That means this time of year is a good opportunity to focus on a habitat most people have heard of, but when pressed for details, many might have a hard time defining. Sadly, wetlands aren’t as common in Missouri as they once were, either. It’s estimated there were between six and nine million acres of wetland habitat in Missouri when the first settlers arrived. Things are much “drier” today — there’s under a million acres of wetland habitat in the state. Missouri’s wetlands come in a variety of appearances. The wooded swamps in the southeastern part of the state are wetlands. So are the large state and federal-operated marsh-like areas that are managed for wetland-dependent plants and animals and provide excellent waterfowl hunting and viewing opportunities of aquatic birds. So are some of the small, low-lying places scattered throughout the sta...

Every year, on the first warm, rainy nights of spring, thousands of amphibians migrate to vernal pools and other wetlands to breed. Many are killed when they must cross roads. To reduce amphibian roadkill, the Harris Center for Conservation Education coordinates volunteer “Salamander Crossing Brigades,” who move migrating amphibians across roads by hand, keeping count as they go. Since 2007, we’ve trained over 1,150 volunteers, who have helped an astonishing 47,385 amphibians survive the most dangerous journey of their lives. Many of our volunteers return, like the salamanders, year after year. We cannot thank them enough. This spring, for the second year in a row, the Harris Center also worked with the City of Keene to close the North Lincoln Street amphibian crossing site to vehicle traffic on migration nights. In 2019, these road closures facilitated the safe passage of 1,592 amphibians, including 975 spring peepers, 509 wood frogs and 58 spotted salamanders. It’s important ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Utah DWR contemplates changes to make it easier to own native reptiles, amphibians    KUTV 2News (KUTV) — Some hate snakes and reptiles but others not only love them but want to own them. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is considering making it ... http://bit.ly/2VCqVmg

Many people are realizing the important roles wetlands play in re-charging and stabilizing underground aquifers, moderating flood waters and governing the flow of water. On top of these qualities are the recreational benefits some of our wetlands provide to millions of hunters, anglers and nature-viewers each year. Wetlands are an important – and in some areas – a disappearing – part of Missouri’s natural landscape. May is American Wetlands Month. That means this time of year is a good opportunity to focus on a habitat most people have heard of, but when pressed for details, many might have a hard time defining. Sadly, wetlands aren’t as common in Missouri as they once were, either. It’s estimated there were between six and nine million acres of wetland habitat in Missouri when the first settlers arrived. Things are much “drier” today – there’s under a million acres of wetland habitat in the state. Missouri’s wetlands come in a variety of appearances. The wooded swamps in the south...

SALT LAKE CITY — A proposed rule change would make it easier for Utahns to take home certain reptiles and amphibians caught in the wild. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is asking the public for feedback on a proposal that would simplify the process for collecting, possessing or breeding non-venomous native reptiles and amphibians. Members of the public will have the chance to provide input at meetings across the state throughout May and June. The current process involves obtaining a certificate of registration from the state. Under the proposal, people would be required to obtain a permit online, as well as take an online education course covering relevant laws, safety considerations and conservation ethics. The course certificate would remain valid for three years. The aim of the proposal is to make it easier for reptile and amphibian collectors to "engage with these species in a sustainable way" and to make the process "more approachable for the public,...

If you’ve ever wanted to pick up a snake and carry it home with you, a proposed change to reptile and amphibian collection rules in Utah could make your wish come true. Right now, if you want to catch a wild reptile or amphibian in Utah to keep as a pet, the process is a bit convoluted. “They would have to consult our current regulations and determine whether that species is classified as not controlled, controlled or prohibited," said Drew Dittmer, one of the native species coordinators for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. "If it’s a controlled species they have to get a certificate of registration and we would review it to determine if they can or cannot collect that species.”  Dittmer specializes in the conservation of reptiles and amphibians. “We are wanting to move to a permit that a user interested in these species will buy," he said. "The permit will be available online but before they can purchase it they have to take an education course that cov...

The charge against a Sherwood Park man who allegedly left hundreds of animals in a pet store has been stayed after the Crown determined that the case no longer met the prosecution standard of a reasonable likelihood of conviction. Minchaw Menan Tom was charged with one count of abandoning animals under the Animal Protection Act after a pet store in West Edmonton Mall closed in 2018, and all the animals were left behind . The Edmonton Humane Society seized more than 500 small mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians from My Pet on Feb. 27, 2018. Most of the animals were adopted from the EHS the following month.   http://bit.ly/2JsaG9Q

The population of the endangered Tokyo salamander is being further depleted by a modern foe: online shopping. Salamander eggs and rare animals are increasingly being sold over the Internet, drawing warnings from environmentalists that ecosystems in Japan could be irreparably damaged by the trend. Japan’s endangered species conservation law prohibits trade in especially rare animals and plants. But freshwater fish species, amphibians and other creatures not listed in the law or covered by regulations can be sold. And the Environment Ministry’s Red List has no legal basis to stop individuals from selling species that it considers endangered. Some local communities and Internet shopping sites have introduced restrictions to protect endangered species and the environment. But overhunting and online sales continue, and experts say that if nothing is done soon, it may be too late. AMPHIBIAN EGG MASSES The Tokyo salamander, which inhabits mountain areas near human settlements, is one...

Vermont's small-bodied snakes are moving, some turtles are basking and vernal pools are beginning to teem with new life. But amid a cool, wet spring, some reptiles and amphibians are still sluggish and vernal pools in higher elevations are still waiting to warm up. We're talking about where Vermont's "herps" are this year and the challenges they face in the near- and long-term. Jim Andrews with the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas  joins Vermont Edition to talk about how lizards, salamanders, frogs and more are faring this spring, what species of "herptiles" are on the move now and how climate change is affecting the movement of these cold-blooded animals as weather and temperature become more variable. And he'll discuss a new U.N report raising the alarm that 1 million species face extinction  due to "unprecedented" pressures from humanity, and how those threats to biodiversity and ecology are being seen in Vermont. Broadcast live ...

KINGSTON, R.I. – May 14, 2019 – One of the leading causes of death for frogs, turtles and snakes is road mortality. A study in Denmark found that amphibians have a 34 to 61 percent chance of being struck when crossing a roadway, and slow-moving turtles in Florida had less than a 2 percent chance of surviving a road crossing. It’s a serious issue for reptiles and amphibians in Rhode Island, too, and the Department of Environmental Management is beginning to plan strategies to mitigate the problem. But first, the agency wants to know the location of the hotspots of mortality. That’s where University of Rhode Island graduate student Noah Hallisey comes in. He has created a computer model that factors in traffic volume, proximity to forests and wetlands, and distance to ponds and lakes to predict the likeliest locations of reptile and amphibian road mortality. “It’s a growing problem,” said Hallisey, a native of Niantic, Connecticut . “The combination of increased development, increased...

By Margaret Hetherman May 12 at 11:46 PM Wood frogs lie frozen in suspended animation. Salamanders wait below the frost line for the signal to return where they were born. A trifecta of thawing ground, favorable temperature and rain cues them to emerge and migrate to vernal pools for nights of communal courtship and explosive breeding. When they do, Keene, N.H., is committed to making sure they don’t land under the wheels of passing cars. For the second year, Keene’s City Council unanimously voted to set up road closures and barriers on nights of major amphibian migration. It’s a two-way gift: nature returns the favor, leaving lasting impressions on those who thrill to see hundreds of frogs hopping out of the woods. “This is the only time of the year when they come above ground and move, which is what makes it feel really kind of magical,” says Brett Amy Thelen, science director of Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock, N.H. Thelen obsessively monitors weath...

The Eurasian otter typically eats fish, but amphibians, which are in global decline, are also part of its diet, especially when fish are scarce. In a Mammal Review study, researchers identified bones of amphibians in otter faeces from southern Italy to determine which types of amphibians are typically eaten. They also reviewed 64 studies of otter diet. In the 64 studies, an average of 12 percent of prey items taken by otters were amphibians. Predation of amphibians increased with longitude and was highest in the Alpine biogeographical region in winter and spring. Also, 28 amphibian species (35 percent of European species) were eaten by otters. In their analyses from southern Italy, the investigators identified 355 individuals belonging to at least seven amphibian taxa. The investigators also concluded that when feeding on frogs and toads, otters are more likely to take the noisy males than the quieter females. The findings suggest that amphibians are a more significant part of the...

Evidence that the world’s amphibians are in peril continues to mount. In March, a study published in the journal Science found that 501 species of frogs and salamanders had been driven toward extinction by killer fungi known as chytrid. That’s more than twice the previous estimate. (Read “Amphibian 'apocalypse' caused by most destructive pathogen ever” .) Then earlier this week, a United Nations committee on biodiversity announced that human impacts are threatening the existence of some one million species, including 40 percent of all the amphibian species known to science, or about 3,200 species. (Read “One million species at risk of extinction, UN report warns” .) And now a new study , published on May 6 in the journal Current Biology , has used statistical analysis to predict that another 1,100 species of amphibians currently listed as “data deficient” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which sets the global conservation statuses for plants and animal...

On April 16, a meeting was held with over 200 residents of Kittery and a six member panel representing the Kittery Water District (KWD). The meeting was a public forum in regard to the decision of the KWD to implement the use of chloramines in the Kittery water supply. The intent from the KWD was to explain to the public that the combination of chlorine and ammonia was safe to use. A recent article also appeared in the Portsmouth Herald on April 25, noting that the York Water District considers monochloramines to be safe and effective. It is important to understand that the use of chloramines may be effective, but it is not necessarily safe. Mixing chlorine and ammonia produces a chemical called monochloramine. This is what the KWD has decided to use in the Kittery municipal water system to purify the water. The EPA deems it to be safe to drink, but there are very few studies about the health problems that can be caused by adding ammonia to chlorine. Chloramine is more stable than chl...

(Photo credit: Pamela González-del-Pliego) Frogs already knew it wasn’t easy being green, but the going just got a lot tougher for the 1,012 additional species of amphibians who have now been newly identified as at risk of extinction in a Yale-led study. This paper is published in Current Biology. “Amphibians are highly threatened and are declining worldwide at an unprecedented rate,” said lead author Pamela González-del-Pliego, postdoctoral ecologist at Yale. “Unfortunately, it seems that the percentage of threatened amphibians is much higher than we previously knew.” Until this study, less than two-thirds of all amphibian species had been assessed for extinction risk by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) — the body that assigns conservation status to species on a scale from “Least Concern” to “Extinct.” This new study by a team of researchers from the United States and United Kingdom provides extinction risk predictions for an additional 25% of the world’s...