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We describe the advertisement call of the Nanling horned frog, Boulenophrys nanlingensis for the first time, based on recordings obtained from four individuals. One of these individuals, which was identified using its dorsum pattern, was recorded twice after nine months. Distinct shifts in the temporal parameters and call rate were observed from calls of the re-captured individual, which was suspected to be related to temperature and social context. However, due to the limited sample size, further research is needed to confirm these findings. We highlight the potential of mark-recapture method using dorsum pattern for studying and monitoring the Nanling horned frog and other megophyinid frogs.

The present study describes a rich amphibian and reptilian assemblage from the early Miocene locality Echzell, Germany. It consists of one allocaudate, five salamander, five frog, one gecko, chamaeleonids, anguine lizards, one lacertid, one skink and five snake taxa. The entire herpetofauna of Echzell is represented by genera and/or families very broadly known from the early Miocene of Europe. Contrary to other early Miocene herpetofaunas, the Echzell assemblage includes surprisingly only one form of crocodile-newts (Chelotriton). The Echzell Palaeobatrachus robustus represents the youngest record of the species and extends its stratigraphic range to the late early Miocene. Regarding chameleons, the frontal is partly preserved, but represents the first described frontal of the extinct species Chamaeleo andrusovi. The only anguine lizard that can be identified in the assemblage is represented by a new genus and species Smithosaurus echzellensis. Our phylogenetic analyses consistently recovered it as the sister taxon to either [Ophisauriscus quadrupes + Ophisaurus holeci] + [Anguis + Ophisaurus] (in the first analysis) or [Anguis + Ophisaurus] (in the second analysis). However, the results are based on limited fossil material – the parietal – and the support for the clade is very low. Thus, the interpretation of the Smithosaurus relationship among anguines needs to be taken with caution and has to be tested in further studies. Among snakes, Natrix longivertebrata represents the oldest record of the species and extends the stratigraphic range of this fossil snake back to the early Miocene. In addition, we provide here a broader comparison of the Echzell amphibian and reptilian assemblage with their European records for the MN3 and MN4 biostratigraphical units. Besides that, the entire herpetofauna of Echzell includes very broadly known early Miocene European forms. Remains of other groups of the same period such as Bufonidae, Hylidae, Pelodytidae, Amphisbaenia, Varanidae, Cordylidae, Pseudopus, are not found in the material available to us. We also conclude that the amphibian and reptilian fossil record across MN3–MN4 is significantly biased by taphonomic and/or environmental conditions. The amphibian and reptilian assemblage of Echzell is rich in forms living in humid and warm environments with forested areas, permanent water bodies and also some open habitats. The following climatic parameters can be reconstructed based on the herpetofauna: a mean annual temperature of 17.4–28.8 °C, minimal warm month temperature 18–28.3 °C, minimal cold month temperature 8–22.2 °C, and mean annual precipitation with a value of 791±254 mm.

Imazethapyr is an herbicide that is used in a variety of crops worldwide, including soybean and corn. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the biomarkers responses of adult Leptodactylus latinasus exposed to the formulation Pivot® H (10.59% imazethapyr) in the laboratory at concentrations and under conditions that simulate two potential field exposure scenarios: an immersion in field runoff (Scenario 1: 10 mg/L) and a direct exposure to the droplets emitted by spray noozles (Scenario 2: 1000 mg/L). In both scenarios, the experimental procedure involved completely immersing the frogs over a period of 15 s. Different endpoints were evaluated at several ecotoxicological levels 48 and 96 h after the herbicide exposure. These included individual (biometric indices and behavior alterations), histological (liver pigments and lesions), biochemical (catalase, glutathione system and cholinesterase activities) and genotoxic effects (micronuclei induction and nuclear abnormalities). Forty-eight hours after imazethapyr exposure, frogs submitted to Scenario 1 presented an inhibition of liver glutathione-S-transferase activity, whereas histological alterations and increased hepatic cholinesterase levels were observed in frogs exposed under Scenario 2. Ninety-six hours after exposure to the imazethapyr formulation, frogs from the Scenario 1 treatment presented a decrease in liver melanin and hemosiderin, increased hepatic catalase activity and micronuclei induction. For their part, frogs exposed to Scenario 2 presented a decrease in the hepatosomatic index, an increase in liver alterations, melanin reduction and micronuclei induction. The multivariate analysis enables correlations to be made between biomarkers of different organizational level in exposed anurans. Our result indicates that real exposure to imazethapyr formulations under field conditions may pose a risk to Leptodactylus latinasus populations living in the agroecosystems., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo

People spend much of their time in imaginary worlds, and have beliefs about the events that are likely in those worlds, and the laws that govern them. Such beliefs are likely affected by people’s intuitive theories of the real world. In three studies, people judged the effort required to cast spells that cause physical violations. People ranked the actions of spells congruently with intuitive physics. For example, people judge that it requires more effort to conjure up a frog than to levitate it one foot off the ground. A second study manipulated the target and extent of the spells, and demonstrated with a continuous measure that people are sensitive to this manipulation even between participants. A pre-registered third study replicated the results of Study 2. These results suggest that people’s intuitive theories partly account for how they think about imaginary worlds.

Amid global biodiversity loss, it is important to find practical tools and solutions in order to protect biodiversity. Ecotourism is the fastest-growing sector of the international travel industry and can be a powerful conservation tool that encourages people to protect the natural environment. Traditionally, frogs have not generated much attention among ecotourists, partly because they are easily overshadowed by other more charismatic species or habitat attractions. With almost a third of the nearly 7000 known amphibian species listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), their protection is crucial. Frogging is a well-known term within the frog conservation society, describing the activity of searching for frogs in the wild. This can be combined with other ecotourism activities to attract tourists and create an interest in the conservation of frogs while having fun at the same time. The aim was to determine the ecotourism potential of frogs in South Africa, primarily by distributing questionnaires to tourists to retrieve information on whether they would be interested in participating in frog-related ecotourism activities within the South African National Parks. For this research, a quantitative research approach was followed, namely non-probability sampling, to which convenience sampling was applied. An online survey (questionnaire) was designed to collect the data for the research. The survey outcome was satisfactory, as potential tourists indicated that they would like to participate in frog-related activities. The project offers the opportunity to conserve frogs, educate tourists, and create job opportunities within the local communities. It will also create a new tourism product for the South African National Parks.Conservation implications: The contribution of this research to conservation lies in the opportunity to benefit frog conservation through ecotourism.

Endemic anurans are particularly vulnerable to environmental changes, and are susceptible to population declines because of their restricted distribution ranges. The Murree Hills Frog Nanorana vicina and Hazara Torrent Frog Allopaa hazarensis are associated with the torrential streams and nearby clear water pools in subtropical chir pine forest and other forest types, at elevations higher than 1000 m in Pakistan. In this study, we have provided data on the extent of movement of these frog species for the first time. We installed radio transmitters on a total of 13 Murree Hills Frogs and 13 Hazara Torrent Frogs during eight consecutive days in September 2017 and 2018. Our results showed that these frogs did not move long distances along the stream or away from the stream into the forest. All the radio-tracked frogs showed movement of < 3 m. We found a significant differences only in the distance moved by Murree Hills Frogs between the two years studied. Based on our findings, we propose a movement paradigm that focuses on conservation implications for these endemic frogs.

An annotated inventory of the herpetofauna of Lawachara National Park in Bangladesh is presented, based primarily on original field observations recorded during a six-year survey of the park. A total of 71 species are reported, including 19 Anura, one Apoda, two Chelonii, and 49 Squamata. The course of the survey revealed 16 range extensions including 11 new country records for Bangladesh. Eight of the 16 range extensions including six of the 11 country records are reported here for the first time. Deleted from previous Lawachara National Park checklists are 23 species that had been erroneously reported due to misidentification, a species split, or the subsumption of the species within another taxa.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:22:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-01-01 In recent years, the taxonomic knowledge of Pseudopaludicola has increased and it is currently possible to elucidate aspects of the species within this genus such as their geographic distributions. Here we accessed new data on geographic distribution of P. boliviana and three long-legged species of the P. saltica group (P. saltica, P. murundu, and P. jaredi). Based on morphometric, acoustic and genetic data, we accessed the specific status of long-legged specimens from Chapada dos Veadeiros highlands and attributed them to the P. murundu. We also performed a phylogenetic analysis including several populations of the three species. Based on this novel dataset, we discussed the geographical distributions of P. saltica, P. murundu, and P. jaredi, providing new records for them. Pseudopaludicola boliviana is one of the five species of the P. pusilla group and it is thought to be a widely distributed species based on its morphology. Hence, we evaluated the geographic distribution of P. boliviana, using novel acoustic data of specimens from Argentina, Northern Brazil, and Bolivia. Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB) Departamento de Biologia Animal Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP Laboratório de Taxonomia e Sistemática de Anuros Neotropicais (LTSAN) Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Naturais do Pontal Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) Instituto de Biologia Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP Laboratório de Herpetologia Departamento de Biodiversidade e Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP) Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP, Rio Claro Laboratório de Citogenética Animal Departamento de Biologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP, Rio Claro Laboratorio de Herpetología Universidad Nacional del Nordeste Laboratório de Herpetologia Departamento de Biodiversidade e Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP) Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP, Rio Claro Laboratório de Citogenética Animal Departamento de Biologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP, Rio Claro

Mexico City houses one of the most populous urban areas of the world, and the modification of its natural habitat likely influences the biological diversity found there. In particular, amphibians and reptiles are likely affected by these modifications. Herein, we present an updated list of the species of amphibians and reptiles that inhabit Mexico City. Mexico City harbors 65 species of amphibians and reptiles, which represent 21 families and 33 genera. These include 18 species of amphibians (nine anurans and nine salamanders) and 47 species of reptiles (14 lizards, 30 snakes [one introduced], and three turtles [one introduced]). Forty-eight of the amphibian and reptile species in Mexico City are endemic to Mexico, with two endemic to Mexico City. The most diverse region of Mexico City is the Forests and Ravines region, which is home to 43 species. Eleven species of amphibians and reptiles in Mexico City are IUCN listed, 16 are placed in a protected category by SEMARNAT (Secretaria del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales), and 27 species are categorized as high risk by the EVS (Environmental Viability Score). Mexico City shares almost 94% of its species with the State of Mexico.

Despite being one of the smallest states in Mexico, the high diversity of habitats in Morelos has led to the development of a rich biota made up of a mixture of species typical of the Neovolcanic Axis and the Sierra Madre del Sur. However, recent expansion of cities in Morelos is likely to have consequences for the state’s herpetofauna. Here a checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Morelos is provided with a summary of their conservation status and overlap with its neighboring states. Morelos is home to 139 species of amphibians and reptiles representing 32 families and 75 genera. Twenty-six of the 38 species of amphibians and 70 of the 101 species of reptiles that inhabit Morelos are endemic to Mexico. Fourteen species of amphibians and reptiles from Morelos are IUCN listed (i.e., Vulnerable, Near Threatened, or Endangered), 22 are placed in a protected category by SEMARNAT, and 41 are categorized as high risk by the EVS. The Tropical Deciduous Forest vegetation type hosts the greatest number of amphibian and reptile species in Morelos (84 species). Morelos shares the largest proportion of its herpetofauna with the State of Mexico (79.3%), Puebla (77.0%), and Guerrero (74.8%).

The ultrastructural characteristics of the mature spermatozoon of Diplodiscus amphichrus (Digenea, Paramphistomoidea, Diplodiscidae) and their ultrastructural organisation were examined by means of transmission electron microscopy. Live digeneans were collected from the Chinese edible frog Hoplobatrachus rugulosus in Thailand. The male gamete of D. amphichrus is a filiform cell with two axonemes of the 9 + ’1’ trepaxonematan pattern, nucleus, one mitochondrion, parallel cortical microtubules, a well-developed lateral expansion, external ornamentation of the plasma membrane, spine-like bodies, and granules of glycogen. These ultrastructural characteristics have already been described in other paramphistomoids studied so far except for the cladorchiids, which present some differences. Two characteristics of the male gamete of D. amphichrus were found for the first time in a digenean: (i) the appearance of the initial part of the lateral expansion before the axonemes in the anterior extremity and (ii) the separation between the second axoneme and the nucleus in the posterior tip. Our results are compared with the available data in the Digenea and particularly with other paramphistomoids.

Eupsophus migueli is considered a microendemic endangered species inhabiting the temperate Nothofagus forests of the Mahuidanche Range of southern Chile. However, this categorization is based on scarce data about its distribution and natural history. In order to assess these parameters, this article reports new geographic records obtained through intensive fieldwork between 2011 and 2016. Considering this, an updated distribution map for E. migueli is proposed, and new data about natural history traits and habitat use are provided. The information obtained in this study is discussed considering the zoogeographical importance of E. migueli, and confirms the species IUCN conservation status.

Haemogregarine (Apicomplexa: Adeleorina) blood parasites are commonly reported from anuran hosts. Dactylosomatidae (Jakowska and Nigrelli, 1955) is a group of haemogregarines comprising Dactylosoma Labbé, 1894 and Babesiosoma Jakowska and Nigrelli, 1956. Currently Dactylosoma and Babesiosoma contain five re-cognised species each. In the current study, a total of 643 anurans, comprising 38 species, 20 genera, and 13 families were collected from South Africa (n = 618) and Belgium (n = 25), and their blood screened for the presence of dactylosomatid parasites. Three anuran species were found infected namely, Ptychadena anchietae (Bocage, 1868) and Sclerophrys gutturalis (Power, 1927) from South Africa, and Pelophylax lessonae (Camerano, 1882) from Belgium. Based on morphological characteristics, morphometrics and molecular results a new dactylosomatid, Dactylosoma kermiti n. sp. is described form Pty. anchietae and Scl. gutturalis. The species of Dactylosoma isolated from Pel. lessonae could not, based on morphological or molecular analysis, be identified to species level. Phylogenetic analysis shows species of Dactylosoma infecting anurans as a monophyletic group separate from the other haemogregarine groups. Additionally, the mosquitoes Uranotaenia (Pseudoficalbia) ma-shonaensis Theobald, 1901 and U. (Pfc.) montana Ingram and De Meillon, 1927 were observed feeding on Scl. gutturalis in situ and possible dividing stages of this new parasite were observed in the mosquitoes. This study is the first to describe a dactylosomatid parasite based on morphological and molecular data from Africa as well as observe potential stages in possible dipteran vectors. This paper forms part of a VLIR-UOS TEAM funded project (ZEIN21013PR396), co-funded by the National ResearchFoundation of South Africa (NRF project CPRR160429163437, grant105979, NJ Smit, PI). The financial assistance of the NRF towards ECNsupported by the DAAD-NRF doctoral scholarship (Grant UID: 108803), and the VLIR-OUS university scholarship (ID 0620854/Contract000000076310), is acknowledged

Summary Two species of digenetic trematodes of the genus Pleurogenoides viz., P. cyanophlyctiShinad & Prasadan (2018a) and P. euphlyctiShinad & Prasadan (2018b) have been described from India. Information regarding the molecular data of various species of the genus Pleurogenoides Travassos, 1921 is virtually lacking. This study addresses the application of molecular markers to validate the phylogenetic position of P. cyanophlycti and P. euphlycti. In the present study, two species P. cyanophlycti and P. euphlycti were collected between January 2016 to October 2017, infecting the freshwater frogs inhabiting the Western Ghats, India. In the present study, the two species were identifi ed morphologically and by PCR amplification of the 28S ribosomal RNA gene. Phylogenetic tree results clearly demonstrate that both P. cyanophlycti and P. euphlycti belongs to the family Pleurogenidae Looss, 1899. Based on these results, we presented and discussed the phylogenetic relationships of P. cyanophlycti and P. euphlycti within family Pleurogenidae from India. Phylogenetic analyses showed that P. cyanophlycti and P. euphlycti cluster according to their vertebrate host and revealed an important congruence between the phylogenetic trees of Pleurogenoides and of their vertebrate hosts. P. cyanophlycti and P. euphlycti clearly constitute a separate, sister branch with other species of the genera, Pleurogenoides, Pleurogenes (=Candidotrema), Prosotocus and Brandesia. The present study firstly provides important information about the molecular study and phylogenetic analysis of P. cyanophlycti and P. euphlycti. This study will also serve as a baseline for Pleurogenoides species identifi cation for further studies.

Given its topicality, it is tempting to suppose that one may find important insights into the politics of late 5th C. Athens in Aristophanes’ comedies. The problem, I contend, is when scholars think they can discern Aristophanes’ own political views simply by supposing that some character in the play (or the chorus leader in the parabasis) directly presents the author’s views. As tempting as such an inference sometimes is, it is one that should be made with extreme caution. For each example of what might seem to some scholars as serious political advice, one may find many other instances that cannot possibly be taken to represent Aristophanes’ real views in the lines he has written. In this discussion, I take up just one case of political speech in an Aristophanic play, Frogs, and argue (contrary to most existing scholarship) that it should not be interpreted as didacticism. Instead, I argue that Aristophanes gives samples of political advocacy from the most extreme poles of contemporary ideology, in such a way as to highlight how dangerous and foolish such policies would be. Aristophanes was mocking, not endorsing, the follies that would soon prove to be so ruinous for Athens.

Different frog-bromeliad associations are frequently reported from various habitats of Central and South America. Here, we present the first data on the association of two hylid species (Dendropsophus nanus and Scinax nasicus) with the bromeliad Bromelia balansae in the Brazilian Pantanal. Both treefrog species use rosettes of B. balansae as a diurnal shelter and foraging ground. Made available in DSpace on 2020-09-02T04:38:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AnuranBromeliaBalansaes2020.pdf: 1995547 bytes, checksum: 57925c299270528867b44189a6311058 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020

We present a list of amphibian and reptile species encountered from 16–20 July 2016 in the upper drainage of Río Guázaro, Parque Nacional Santa Fé, Veraguas, Panama. We collected 10 amphibian and 10 reptile species and observed three additional amphibian and one additional reptile species. Our collected material provides the first records from Veraguas province for the amphibians Bolitoglossa schizodactyla Wake & Brame, 1966 and Diasporus aff. quidditus (Lynch, 2001), as well as for the reptiles Basiliscus plumifrons Cope, 1876, Micrurus stewarti Barbour & Amaral, 1928, and Sibon argus (Cope, 1876). Although relatively small in species and specimen numbers, our collection represents the first documented herpetological inventory on the largely unexplored Caribbean versant of Veraguas in 50 years.

Emerging infectious diseases are increasing globally and are an additional challenge to species dealing with native parasites and pathogens. Therefore, understanding the combined effects of infectious agents on hosts is important for species’ conservation and population management. Amphibians are hosts to many parasites and pathogens, including endemic trematode flatworms (e.g., Echinostoma spp.) and the novel pathogenic amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [Bd]). Our study examined how exposure to trematodes during larval development influenced the consequences of Bd pathogen exposure through critical life events. We found that prior exposure to trematode parasites negatively impacted metamorphosis but did not influence the effect of Bd infection on terrestrial growth and survival. Bd infection alone, however, resulted in significant mortality during overwintering—an annual occurrence for most temperate amphibians. The results of our study indicated overwintering mortality from Bd could provide an explanation for enigmatic declines and highlights the importance of examining the long-term consequences of novel parasite exposure.

Since the establishment of the Nam Xuan Lac Habitat and Species Conservation Area in 2003 in Bac Kan Province, northern Vietnam, only two herpetological studies have been conducted: One recorded 14 species of amphibians from Ban Thi-Xuan Lac area in 2004 and a recent study reported 32 species of amphibians from this protected area in 2019. As a result of our field surveys in 2020 and 2021, a total of 23 species of amphibians was recorded from the Nam Xuan Lac Habitat and Species Conservation Area. Eight of them are recorded for the first time from Bac Kan Province, comprising one species of Microhylidae, two species of Megophryidae, one species of Dicroglossidae, two species of Ranidae and two species of Rhacophoridae. Besides morphological descriptions, we provide ecological notes of newly-recorded species of amphibians from Bac Kan Province.

Glucosinolates are token stimuli in host selection of many crucifer specialist insects, but the underlying molecular basis for host selection in these insects remains enigmatic. Using a combination of behavioral, electrophysiological, and molecular methods, we investigate glucosinolate receptors in the cabbage butterfly Pieris rapae. Sinigrin, as a potent feeding stimulant, elicited activity in larval maxillary lateral sensilla styloconica, as well as in adult medial tarsal sensilla. Two P. rapae gustatory receptor genes PrapGr28 and PrapGr15 were identified with high expression in female tarsi, and the subsequent functional analyses showed that Xenopus oocytes only expressing PrapGr28 had specific responses to sinigrin; when ectopically expressed in Drosophila sugar sensing neurons, PrapGr28 conferred sinigrin sensitivity to these neurons. RNA interference experiments further showed that knockdown of PrapGr28 reduced the sensitivity of adult medial tarsal sensilla to sinigrin. Taken together, we conclude that PrapGr28 is a gustatory receptor tuned to sinigrin in P. rapae, which paves the way for revealing the molecular basis of the relationships between crucifer plants and their specialist insects., Author summary Preference of crucifer specialist insects to glucosinolates is well known in the field of insect-plant interactions, but its molecular basis is unclear. This study uses an integrative approach to investigate the molecular basis of glucosinolate detection by gustatory receptor neurons in the larval mouthparts and adult forelegs of the cabbage butterfly Pieris rapae, and finally reveal that PrapGr28 is a bitter receptor tuned to sinigrin. The current work takes a significant step towards identifying gustatory receptors tuned to glucosinolates, crucial recognition signals in crucifer host plants, providing insights into co-evolution of herbivorous insects and their host plants.

The Lesser Sundas Archipelago is comprised of two parallel chains of islands that extend between the Asian continental shelf (Sundaland) and Australo-Papuan continental shelf (Sahul). These islands have served as stepping stones for taxa dispersing between the Asian and Australo-Papuan biogeographical realms. While the oceanic barriers have prevented many species from colonizing the archipelago, a number of terrestrial vertebrate species have colonized the islands either by rafting/swimming or by human introduction. Here, we examine phylogeographic structure within the Lesser Sundas for three snake, two lizard and two frog species that each has a Sunda Shelf origin. These species are suspected to have recently colonized the archipelago, though all have inhabited the Lesser Sundas for over 100years. We sequenced mtDNA from 231 samples to test whether there is sufficiently deep genetic structure within any of these taxa to reject human-mediated introduction. Additionally, we tested for genetic signatures of population expansion consistent with recent introduction and estimated the ages of Lesser Sundas clades, if any exist. Our results show little to no genetic structure between populations on different islands in five species and moderate structure in two species. Nucleotide diversity is low for all species, and the ages of the most recent common ancestor for species with monophyletic Lesser Sundas lineages date to the Holocene or late Pleistocene. These results support the hypothesis that these species entered the archipelago relatively recently and either naturally colonized or were introduced by humans to most of the largerislands in the archipelago within a short time span.

International audience; : Hydrological models have become practical tools to understand impacts in water resources and to support the development of management policies. Precipitation is a major driving force of hydrological processes and is one of the main input datasets for hydrological models. However, gauge measurements have several issues, such as incomplete areal coverage and deficiencies over most tropical regions. The precipitation data obtained by remote sensing is an alternative in areas where data is scarce or not available, like in the tropics. However, the feasibility of using satellite-based precipitation products for simulating streamflow needs to be verified, for different hydrological models and basins. Congo River Basin is one of the least studied major river basins in the world and suffers from the scarcity and difficulty in accessing rain gauge data, which makes satellite precipitation estimates necessary for hydrological studies. In this study, we analyzed twenty-three satellite-based precipitation products, acquired from Frequent Rainfall Observations on GridS (FROGS) daily precipitation database. We evaluated these precipitation products over the Congo River Basin using the hydrological model SWAT (Solid & Water Assessment Tool) for streamflow and water balance components at basin scale. Our findings showed that the products based on satellite-only source tend to overestimate the rainy season peaks in comparison with the 3B42_V7 product. On the other hand, the satellite products that consider gauge calibration presented better agreements between each other. The hydrological model was able to reproduce the general precipitation products characteristics, while the gauge-adjusted satellite products performed better than those without gauge adjustments. Thus, the overall precipitation patterns have a crucial effect on model’s performance and leads to different streamflow and water balance components values. The choice of rainfall product has a significant importance in the interpretation of the simulated hydrological cycle.

Intracellular parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa are dependent on the scavenging of essential amino acids from their hosts. We previously identified a large family of apicomplexan-specific plasma membrane-localized amino acid transporters, the ApiATs, and showed that the Toxoplasma gondii transporter TgApiAT1 functions in the selective uptake of arginine. TgApiAT1 is essential for parasite virulence, but dispensable for parasite growth in medium containing high concentrations of arginine, indicating the presence of at least one other arginine transporter. Here we identify TgApiAT6-1 as the second arginine transporter. Using a combination of parasite assays and heterologous characterisation of TgApiAT6-1 in Xenopus laevis oocytes, we demonstrate that TgApiAT6-1 is a general cationic amino acid transporter that mediates both the high-affinity uptake of lysine and the low-affinity uptake of arginine. TgApiAT6-1 is the primary lysine transporter in the disease-causing tachyzoite stage of T. gondii and is essential for parasite proliferation. We demonstrate that the uptake of cationic amino acids by TgApiAT6-1 is ‘trans-stimulated’ by cationic and neutral amino acids and is likely promoted by an inwardly negative membrane potential. These findings demonstrate that T. gondii has evolved overlapping transport mechanisms for the uptake of essential cationic amino acids, and we draw together our findings into a comprehensive model that highlights the finely-tuned, regulated processes that mediate cationic amino acid scavenging by these intracellular parasites., Author summary The causative agent of toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, is a versatile intracellular parasite that can proliferate within nucleated cells of warm-blooded organisms. In order to survive, T. gondii parasites must scavenge the cationic amino acids lysine and arginine from their hosts. In a previous study, we demonstrated that a plasma membrane-localized protein called TgApiAT1 facilitates the uptake of arginine into the parasite. We found that parasites lacking TgApiAT1 could proliferate when cultured in medium containing high concentrations of arginine, suggesting the existence of an additional uptake pathway for arginine. In the present study, we demonstrate that this second uptake pathway is mediated by TgApiAT6-1, a protein belonging to the same solute transporter family as TgApiAT1. We show that TgApiAT6-1 is the major lysine transporter of the parasite, and that it is critical for parasite proliferation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that TgApiAT6-1 can transport arginine into parasites under conditions in which arginine concentrations are high and lysine concentrations are comparatively lower. These data support a model for the finely-tuned acquisition of essential cationic amino acids that involves multiple transporters, and which likely contributes to these parasites being able to survive and proliferate within a wide variety of host cell types.

Aristófanes resulta ser una pieza clave para el conocimiento del léxico musical griego. La abundancia de testimonios que ofrece, sus apreciaciones técnicas y la creación de nuevos términos musicales le convierten en un importante eslabón en el campo de la música antigua. Su gusto por el detalle se evidencia en la descripción que realiza de los cantos y, sobre todo, de los instrumentos musicales. Aristophanes is a key piece for the Greek musical lexicon. The plenty of testimonies that he gives, his technical appreciations and the creation of new musical terms make him an important link in the scope of the ancient music. His interest in the detail is made evident in the description concerning songs and, especially, musical instruments.

Salinization is harmful to amphibians, and waterborne corticosterone (CORT) could be a useful biomarker. Salinity was only associated with waterborne CORT for one of three amphibian species. Ambient CORT likely confounded associations and possibly influenced amphibian physiology. We provide suggestions to improve the reliability of waterborne CORT as a biomarker of salt stress., Physiological biomarkers are commonly used to assess the health of taxa exposed to natural and anthropogenic stressors. Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones are often used as indicators of physiological stress in wildlife because they affect growth, reproduction and survival. Increased salinity from human activities negatively influences amphibians and their corticosterone (CORT; the main amphibian GC) physiology; therefore, CORT could be a useful biomarker. We evaluated whether waterborne CORT could serve as a biomarker of salt stress for three free-living amphibian species that vary in their sensitivity to salinity: boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata), northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) and barred tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium). Across a gradient of contamination from energy-related saline wastewaters, we tested the effects of salinity on baseline and stress-induced waterborne CORT of larvae. Stress-induced, but not baseline, CORT of leopard frogs increased with increasing salinity. Salinity was not associated with baseline or stress-induced CORT of chorus frogs or tiger salamanders. Associations between CORT and salinity were also not related to species-specific sensitivities to salinity. However, we detected background environmental CORT (ambient CORT) in all wetlands and spatial variation was high within and among wetlands. Higher ambient CORT was associated with lower waterborne CORT of larvae in wetlands. Therefore, ambient CORT likely confounded associations between waterborne CORT and salinity in our analysis and possibly influenced physiology of larvae. We hypothesize that larvae may passively take up CORT from their environment and downregulate endogenous CORT. Although effects of some hormones (e.g. oestrogen) and endocrine disruptors on aquatic organisms are well described, studies investigating the occurrence and effects of ambient CORT are limited. We provide suggestions to improve collection methods, reduce variability and avoid confounding effects of ambient CORT. By making changes to methodology, waterborne CORT could still be a promising, non-invasive conservation tool to evaluate effects of salinity on amphibians.

Idiopathic hypocalcemia in Thoroughbred (TB) foals causes tetany and seizures and is invariably fatal. Based upon the similarity of this disease with human familial hypoparathyroidism and occurrence only in the TB breed, we conducted a genetic investigation on two affected TB foals. Familial hypoparathyroidism was identified, and pedigree analysis suggested an autosomal recessive (AR) mode of inheritance. We performed whole-genome sequencing of the two foals, their unaffected dams and four unaffected, unrelated TB horses. Both homozygosity mapping and an association analysis were used to prioritize potential genetic variants. Of the 2,808 variants that significantly associated with the phenotype using an AR mode of inheritance (PA,p.Ser875*) was significantly associated with the hypoparathyroid phenotype (Pallelic = 0.008). Affected foals were homozygous for the variant, with two additional affected foals subsequently confirmed in 2019. Necropsies of all affected foals failed to identify any histologically normal parathyroid glands. Because the nonsense mutation in RAPGEF5 was near the C-terminal end of the protein, the impact on protein function was unclear. Therefore, we tested the variant in our Xenopus overexpression model and demonstrated RAPGEF5 loss-of-function. This RAPGEF5 variant represents the first genetic variant for hypoparathyroidism identified in any domestic animal species., Author summary The Thoroughbred breeding industry in the United States produces a total impact of $6 billion. A lethal hypocalcemic syndrome was first described in young Thoroughbred horses in 1997. Affected foals suffer from seizures due to low blood calcium concentrations in the first few weeks of life. Our clinical evaluation of affected foals supported a diagnosis of primary hypoparathyroidism, and the disease appeared to be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Whole-genome sequencing of two affected foals identified a nonsense variant in RAPGEF5. Two additional affected foals were subsequently genotyped and also homozygous for the nonsense variant. Overexpression of the equine variant in frog embryos demonstrated loss-of-function. Genetic testing is now available to screen carrier Thoroughbreds and the disease was renamed equine isolated familial hypoparathyroidism (EIFH).

Forming an embryo from a zygote poses an apparent conflict for epigenetic regulation. On the one hand, the de novo induction of cell fate identities requires the establishment and subsequent maintenance of epigenetic information to harness developmental gene expression. On the other hand, the embryo depends on cell proliferation, and every round of DNA replication dilutes preexisting histone modifications by incorporation of new unmodified histones into chromatin. Here, we investigated the possible relationship between the propagation of epigenetic information and the developmental cell proliferation during Xenopus embryogenesis. We systemically inhibited cell proliferation during the G1/S transition in gastrula embryos and followed their development until the tadpole stage. Comparing wild-type and cell cycle–arrested embryos, we show that the inhibition of cell proliferation is principally compatible with embryo survival and cellular differentiation. In parallel, we quantified by mass spectrometry the abundance of a large set of histone modification states, which reflects the developmental maturation of the embryonic epigenome. The arrested embryos developed abnormal stage-specific histone modification profiles (HMPs), in which transcriptionally repressive histone marks were overrepresented. Embryos released from the cell cycle block during neurulation reverted toward normality on morphological, molecular, and epigenetic levels. These results suggest that the cell cycle block by HUA alters stage-specific HMPs. We propose that this influence is strong enough to control developmental decisions, specifically in cell populations that switch between resting and proliferating states such as stem cells., Forming an embryo from a zygote poses an apparent conflict between the establishment and maintenance of epigenetic information and its dilution by cell proliferation. This study shows that inhibition of cell proliferation in Xenopus embryos is largely compatible with embryo survival and cellular differentiation but results in an excess of transcriptionally repressive histone marks. On release from cell cycle block, embryos reverted towards normality on morphological, molecular and epigenetic levels.

The State of Mexico has a unique combination of geographic characteristics and topography that promotes a high biodiversity. Unfortunately, continued human population growth of the metropolitan areas of Mexico City and Toluca have degraded the environment of the State of Mexico, which threatened its wildlife. An updated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of the State of Mexico is provided and their conservation status summarized. The State of Mexico has 49 species of amphibians and 101 species of reptiles. The majority of the amphibians (73.5%) and reptiles (70.3%) found in the State of Mexico are endemic to Mexico. Of the amphibian and reptile species in the State of Mexico, 20.1% are IUCN listed (i.e., Vulnerable, Near Threatened, or Endangered), 18.4% are placed in a protected category by SEMARNAT (excluding NL and Pr, this last category is equivalent to the LC category of IUCN), and 34.9% are categorized as high risk by the EVS. The importance of forested habitats for the protected amphibians and reptiles in the State of Mexico suggest that management of these habitats to maintain or expand them needs to be considered.

Lateritic plateaus of India are geographically and ecologically complex plateaus that support endemic flora and fauna. However, despite their uniqueness they are termed as “wastelands”. The plateaus’ overall treeless structure makes them susceptible to developmental activities like infrastructure growth, waste dumping, and urbanization. This paper presents a list of anurans compiled from surveys carried out in the years between 2016 and 2018 in the town of Manipal, a predominant lateritic landscape on the west coast of India. The list comprises of 19 species belonging to five different families, includes notes on microhabitat structure and associated species. We also present descriptions of malformed frogs recorded during the surveys. The growing demands for urbanization, presence of malformed frogs, and habitat complexities that support species densities highlight the need to re-evaluate our understanding towards these plateaus. We express our concern towards the need for conservation of these lesser known amphibian habitats. &nbsp

Abra de Zamora is an important biodiversity hotspot in southern Ecuador. Between 1938 and 2010, eleven species of frogs were described from here: Lynchius flavomaculatus, Gastrotheca psychrophila, Pristimantis balionotus, P. colodactylus, P. cryptomelas, P. percultus, P. versicolor, P. vidua, Telmatobius cirrhacelis, P. andinognomus, and Atelopus podocarpus. Unfortunately, many of these species were not re-encountered after their original description, and for the majority DNA samples were not available, making their phylogenetic position unknown. In this study, we assess the current state of the amphibians from Abra de Zamora, by: i. redescribing the species which were first reported from the area, by contributing genetic delimitation (for L. flavomaculatus, P. balionotus, P. colodactylus, P. percultus, and P. vidua), release call (L. flavomaculatus) and advertisement call descriptions (for P. balionotus, P. vidua and P. versicolor); ii. presenting an updated amphibian species list of Abra de Zamora, with the description of two additional Pristimantis species; iii. updating the distribution of these species, including data collected in similar montane habitats from surrounding areas; and iv. amending recommendations regarding their conservation status.

Cenozoic ectothermic continental tetrapods (amphibians and reptiles) have not been documented previously from Antarctica, in contrast to all other continents. Here we report a fossil ilium and an ornamented skull bone that can be attributed to the Recent, South American, anuran family Calyptocephalellidae or helmeted frogs, representing the first modern amphibian found in Antarctica. The two bone fragments were recovered in Eocene, approximately 40 million years old, sediments on Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. The record of hyperossified calyptocephalellid frogs outside South America supports Gondwanan cosmopolitanism of the anuran clade Australobatrachia. Our results demonstrate that Eocene freshwater ecosystems in Antarctica provided habitats favourable for ectothermic vertebrates (with mean annual precipitation ≥900 mm, coldest month mean temperature ≥3.75 °C, and warmest month mean temperature ≥13.79 °C), at a time when there were at least ephemeral ice sheets existing on the highlands within the interior of the continent. Fil: Mörs, Thomas. Stockholms Universitet; Suecia Fil: Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina Fil: Vasilyan, Davit. University of Fribourg; Suiza

The amphibian skin disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the pathogenetic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has become one of the major contributors to global amphibian population declines and extinctions. This fungus has spread globally and has caused mortalities in nearly every continent. In South America, Suriname, Guyana and Paraguay are among the remaining three countries where Bd has not been detected to date. To complete the assessment of the possible presence of Bd in Suriname, 205 specimens from the Zoological Collection of Suriname, compromising 6 frog families and 15 genera were sampled for chytrid fungus. No specimens were found to be infected by this fungus and as such the outcome strengthens the previous result of field sampling that there is no support that Bd has spread to Suriname.

ADP-ribosylhydrolase-like 1 (Adprhl1) is a pseudoenzyme expressed in the developing heart myocardium of all vertebrates. In the amphibianXenopus laevis, knockdown of the two cardiac Adprhl1 protein species (40 and 23 kDa) causes failure of chamber outgrowth but this has only been demonstrated using antisense morpholinos that interfere with RNA-splicing. Transgenic production of 40 kDa Adprhl1 provides only part rescue of these defects. CRISPR/Cas9 technology now enables targeted mutation of theadprhl1gene in G0-generation embryos with routine cleavage of all alleles. Testing multiple gRNAs distributed across the locus reveals exonic locations that encode critical amino acids for Adprhl1 function. The gRNA recording the highest frequency of a specific ventricle outgrowth phenotype directs Cas9 cleavage of an exon 6 sequence, where microhomology mediated end-joining biases subsequent DNA repairs towards three small in-frame deletions. Mutant alleles encode discrete loss of 1, 3 or 4 amino acids from a di-arginine (Arg271-Arg272) containing peptide loop at the centre of the ancestral ADP-ribosylhydrolase site. Thus despite lacking catalytic activity, it is the modified (adenosine-ribose) substrate binding cleft of Adprhl1 that fulfils an essential role during heart formation. Mutation results in striking loss of myofibril assembly in ventricle cardiomyocytes. The defects suggest Adprhl1 participation from the earliest stage of cardiac myofibrillogenesis and are consistent with previous MO results and Adprhl1 protein localization to actin filament Z-disc boundaries. A single nucleotide change to the gRNA sequence renders it inactive. Mice lackingAdprhl1exons 3-4 are normal but production of the smaller ADPRHL1 species is unaffected, providing further evidence that cardiac activity is concentrated at the C-terminal protein portion.HighlightsComparison ofadprhl1morpholinos. Knockdown of the twoXenopuscardiac Adprhl1 protein species (40 and 23 kDa) causes failure of ventricle outgrowth.CRISPR/Cas9 targeted gene mutation ofadprhl1with multiple gRNAs reveals exonic locations that encode critical amino acids for Adprhl1 function.Repair of DSBs at exon 6 yields small in-frame deletions that cause specific ventricle myofibril assembly defects.The deletions disturb a conserved di-arginine containing peptide loop at the centre of the ancestral substrate binding cleft/ADP-ribosylhydrolase site of this pseudoenzyme.Mice lackingAdprhl1exons 3-4 are normal but production of the smaller ADPRHL1 species is unaffected, providing further evidence that cardiac activity is concentrated at the C-terminal protein portion.

Aquaporins (AQP) are a family of plasma membrane proteins responsible for water transport through cell membranes. They are differentially expressed in different parts of the alimentary canal of insects where they regulate water transport. These proteins have been studied in detail in some insects, but few data are available for aquaporins of the honey bee, Apis mellifera. We used quantitative PCR to study the expression of six putative aquaporin genes in forager honey bees. We found differential expression of all putative AQP genes in crop, midgut, ileum, rectum and Malpighian tubules. We found the entomoglyceroporin Am_Eglp 1 expressed at extremely high levels in the midgut. We performed a functional characterization of Am_Eglp 1 using heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis oocyte followed by water uptake assays. Our results confirmed that the Am_Eglp 1 gene encodes a functional water transporter. This study shows that all putative honey bee aquaporin genes have complex expression patterns in the digestive and excretory organs of honey bee workers. Our results suggest that Am_Eglp 1 is the principal water transporter in the midgut of A. mellifera workers.

A wide range of frogs produce skin poisons composed of bioactive peptides for defence against pathogens, parasites and predators. While several frog families have been thoroughly screened for skin-secreted peptides, others, like the Microhylidae, have remained mostly unexplored. Previous studies of microhylids found no evidence of peptide secretion, suggesting that this defence adaptation was evolutionarily lost. We conducted transcriptome analyses of the skins of Phrynomantis bifasciatus and Phrynomantis microps, two African microhylid species long suspected to be poisonous. Our analyses reveal 17 evolutionary related transcripts that diversified from to those of cytolytic peptides found in other frog families. The 19 peptides predicted to be processed from these transcripts, named phrynomantins, show a striking structural diversity that is distinct from any previously identified frog skin peptide. Functional analyses of five phrynomantins confirm the loss of a cytolytic function and the absence of insecticidal or proinflammatory activity, suggesting that they represent an evolutionary transition to a new, yet unknown function. Our study shows that peptides have been retained in the defence poison of at least one microhylid lineage and encourages research on similarly understudied taxa to further elucidate the diversity and evolution of skin defence molecules.

Here we present a three-year survey of amphibian and reptile species registered in the Vale Natural Reserve (VNR), located in the north of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. The VNR, along with the Sooretama Biological Reserve (SBR) and other surrounding areas, form a forest block that constitutes one of the largest remnants of continuous forest in the Atlantic Forest biome. We systematically sampled the herpetofauna community from 2015 to 2018, using the method of active search method in 27 plots of RAPELD distributed in the different types of vegetation present in the area. We recorded 39 species of amphibians belonging to the order Anura, distributed in seven families and 40 species of reptiles belonging to 20 families distributed in three orders: Crocodylia, Testudines and Squamata. The supplementation the samplings with those records from occasional encounters was important for the survey of the region's herpetofauna, mainly for reptiles. We added four species (two lizards, one amphisbaenid and one snake) to the known list for the VNR-SBR forest block: Micrablepharus maximiliani, Strobilurus torquatus, Amphisbaena alba and Tantilla sp. We demonstrated that VNR contains a high species richness of amphibians and reptiles, with a high number of anurans being endemic to the Atlantic Forest biome. The present species inventory provided the most current approximation of known the richness and composition of species of the existing herpetofauna at Vale Natural Reserve, since the period of the gathering of records is quite recent (2015-2018). Also, it brings the knowledge of some community parameters as species richness and composition not only for the whole area of the Vale Natural Reserve, but also for its different vegetation types, with no inclusion of environments outside this reserve. Furthermore, the presence of threatened species, the addition of four species to the current list, and the potential for new species to occur, reinforce the role of VNR as an important area for the protection of amphibian and reptile biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest.

Citizen science is increasingly contributing to ecology and conservation research, mostly by the extensive collection of field data. Although webcams attract numerous observers, they have been underused in this respect. We used prey delivery records deposited by citizen scientists in an internet forum linked to webcams to explore the diet composition and food provisioning in a forest-dwelling raptor of conservation concern, the Lesser Spotted Eagle (Clanga pomarina). Four pairs were studied throughout the breeding season. Most of the identified prey items were mammals (62.1%), followed by frogs (31.2%), birds (6.6%) and fish (0.1%). Among mammals, voles accounted for 84.6%, moles 12.1%, water voles 2.4% and weasels 0.4%. Frogs were the most frequently detected prey item in the spring, with a slight increase towards the end of the season, the proportion of mammals increased during the breeding season, and birds were hunted mostly in the middle of the breeding season. However, exact temporal patterns differed between nests. The food delivery rate of males increased over time but decreased somewhat before fledging the young. Females started hunting in mid-summer and their rapidly increasing effort compensated for a reduced male hunting intensity. The data collected by citizen scientists via webcams reflected the general patterns detected in earlier studies, supporting the reliability of crowd-sourced web-based data collection in avian foraging ecology.

Usually in Ecology, the availability and quality of the data is not as good as we would like. For some species, the typical environmental study focuses on presence/absence data, and particularly with small animals as amphibians and reptiles, the number of presences can be rather small. The aim of this study is to develop a spatial model for studying animal data with a low level of presences; we specify a Gaussian Markov Random Field for modelling the spatial component and evaluate the inclusion of environmental covariates. To assess the model suitability, we use Watanabe-Akaike information criteria (WAIC) and the conditional predictive ordinate (CPO). We apply this framework to model each species of amphibian and reptiles present in the Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park (Spain).

Background Schistosoma mansoni histone deacetylase 8 (SmHDAC8) has elicited considerable interest as a target for drug discovery. Invalidation of its transcripts by RNAi leads to impaired survival of the worms in infected mice and its inhibition causes cell apoptosis and death. To determine why it is a promising therapeutic target the study of the currently unknown cellular signaling pathways involving this enzyme is essential. Protein partners of SmHDAC8 were previously identified by yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) cDNA library screening and by mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. Among these partners we characterized SmRho1, the schistosome orthologue of human RhoA GTPase, which is involved in the regulation of the cytoskeleton. In this work, we validated the interaction between SmHDAC8 and SmRho1 and explored the role of the lysine deacetylase in cytoskeletal regulation. Methodology/principal findings We characterized two isoforms of SmRho1, SmRho1.1 and SmRho1.2. Co- immunoprecipitation (Co-IP)/Mass Spectrometry (MS) analysis identified SmRho1 partner proteins and we used two heterologous expression systems (Y2H assay and Xenopus laevis oocytes) to study interactions between SmHDAC8 and SmRho1 isoforms. To confirm SmHDAC8 and SmRho1 interaction in adult worms and schistosomula, we performed Co-IP experiments and additionally demonstrated SmRho1 acetylation using a Nano LC-MS/MS approach. A major impact of SmHDAC8 in cytoskeleton organization was documented by treating adult worms and schistosomula with a selective SmHDAC8 inhibitor or using RNAi followed by confocal microscopy. Conclusions/significance Our results suggest that SmHDAC8 is involved in cytoskeleton organization via its interaction with the SmRho1.1 isoform. The SmRho1.2 isoform failed to interact with SmHDAC8, but did specifically interact with SmDia suggesting the existence of two distinct signaling pathways regulating S. mansoni cytoskeleton organization via the two SmRho1 isoforms. A specific interaction between SmHDAC8 and the C-terminal moiety of SmRho1.1 was demonstrated, and we showed that SmRho1 is acetylated on K136. SmHDAC8 inhibition or knockdown using RNAi caused extensive disruption of schistosomula actin cytoskeleton., Author summary Schistosoma mansoni is the major parasitic platyhelminth species causing intestinal schistosomiasis. Currently one drug, praziquantel, is the treatment of choice but its use in mass treatment programs means that the development of resistance is likely and renders imperative the development of new therapeutic agents. As new potential targets we have focused on lysine deacetylases, and in particular S. mansoni histone deacetylase 8 (SmHDAC8). Previous studies showed that reduction in the level of transcripts of SmHDAC8 by RNAi led to the impaired survival of the worms after the infection of mice. The analysis of the 3D structure of SmHDAC8 by X-ray crystallography showed that the catalytic domain structure diverges significantly from that of human HDAC8 and this was exploited to develop novel potential anti-schistosomal drugs. The biological roles of SmHDAC8 are unknown. For this reason, we previously characterized its protein binding partners and identified the schistosome orthologue of the human RhoA GTPase, suggesting the involvement of SmHDAC8 in the modulation of cytoskeleton organization. Here we investigated the interaction between SmHDAC8 and SmRho1 and identified two SmRho1 isoforms (SmRho1.1 and SmRho1.2). Our study showed that SmHDAC8 is involved in schistosome cytoskeleton organization.

Elucidating the various behavioral and ecological uses of animal habitats is the basis for the conservation and management of animal species. Therefore, tracking the movement of animals is necessary. Biotelemetry is used for tracking the movement of animals. By mounting a radio telemetry receiver and antenna on a drone, the time and labor required for surveying animals can be reduced. In addition, it is easy to track difficult-to-reach areas such as rice paddies and forests, and the environment is not invaded by the survey. We think that this drone radio telemetry will be the best method for tracking the movement of small amphibians, such as frogs. However, in order to put the method to practical use, the accuracy of the system needs to be verified. Approximately 26 ha of area in Sogabe, Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan was investigated in this study. We selected and validated the location where frogs are likely to enter farmlands. The location where the detection of movement is expected to be stable are 5 cm deep areas in the soil, gaps in masonry, and under plastic bags, whereas areas in which the detection is likely to be unstable are areas deeper than 5 cm in the soil, covered concrete channels, and grass. By calculating the geographic center, the location of the nanotag could be estimated with an accuracy of less than 16 m. We successfully showed that the drone radio telemetry system used in this study is capable of detecting and tracking the movement of animals with high spatial and temporal resolutions. However, we suggest that the detection of movement may be interrupted depending on the location of the target animal and more than three detections are needed to guarantee the accuracy of the estimation.

Ivermectin is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic medicine, which is often used as a treatment for parasites or as a prophylaxis. While studies have looked at the long-term effects of Ivermectin on helminths, studies have not considered the long-term impacts of this treatment on host health or disease susceptibility. Here, we tracked the effects of early life Ivermectin treatment in Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) on growth rates, mortality, metabolically expensive organ size, and susceptibility to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) infection. One year after exposure, there was no effect of Ivermectin exposure on frog mass (X21 = 0.904, p = 0.34), but when tracked through the exponential growth phase (~2.5 years) the Ivermectin exposed individuals had lower growth rates and were ultimately smaller (X21 = 7.78, p = 0.005; X21 = 5.36, p = 0.02, respectively). These results indicate that early life exposure is likely to have unintended impacts on organismal growth and potentially reproductive fitness. Additionally, we exposed frogs to Bd, a pathogenic fungus that has decimated amphibian populations globally, and found early life exposure to Ivermectin decreased disease susceptibility (disease load: X21 = 17.57, p = 0.0002) and prevalence (control: 55%; Ivermectin: 22%) over 2 years after exposure. More research is needed to understand the underlying mechanism behind this phenomenon. Given that Ivermectin exposure altered disease susceptibility, proper controls should be implemented when utilizing this drug as an antiparasitic treatment in research studies.

Chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been linked with the disappearance of amphibian populations worldwide. Harlequin toads (Atelopus) are among the most severely impacted genera. Two species are already considered extinct and most of the others are at high risk of extinction. The recent rediscovery of harlequin toad populations coexisting with Bd suggest that the pathogen can maintain enzootic cycles at some locations. The mechanisms promoting coexistence, however, are not well understood. We explore the dynamics of Bd infection in harlequin toads by modeling a two-stage host population with transmission through environmental reservoirs. Simulations showed that variations in the recruitment of adults and the persistence of zoospores in the environment were more likely to drive shifts between extinction and coexistence than changes in the vulnerability of toads to infection with Bd. These findings highlight the need to identify mechanisms for assuring adult recruitment or minimizing transmission from potential reservoirs, biotic or abiotic, in recovering populations.

We describe three new species of the microhylid frog genus Choerophryne from the mountains and foothills of southern and northeastern Papua New Guinea. All three species lack elongated snouts and all are arboreal calling from elevated perch sites between ~1 and 10 m above the forest floor. Advertisement calls and habitat preferences are described for each species. Descriptions of these three frogs brings the total number of Choerophryne recognized to 34 but numerous additional species undoubtedly remain to be discovered in poorly-surveyed mountainous regions of New Guinea.

In this paper we present information on fluorescent frogs that will be of use to interested researchers. We describe practical details and provide new data on the phenomenon in Boana punctata, while reporting for the first time its occurrence in the closely related B. atlantica. Both species leave persistent fluorescent marks on the substrate in field and lab conditions, the biological role of which, if any, remains unknown. We discuss briefly the heuristic criteria employed to identify other anuran species most likely to be fluorescent—at least in a similar way to that described in B. atlantica and B. punctata—and provide a list of 281 species in seven families (Arthroleptidae, Centrolenidae, Hemiphractidae, Hylidae, Hyperoliidae, Mantellidae, and Rhacophoridae) that should be tested for the occurrence of fluorescence. Finally, we discuss some general aspects related to anuran coloration, fluorescence, and criteria to assess its biological role, if any, commenting on the role of pteridins and hypothetical situations where these could lead to fluorescence in a different way than how we see it in B. atlantica and B. punctata. Fil: Taboada, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina Fil: Brunetti, Andrés Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil Fil: Alexandre, César. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz; Brasil Fil: Lagorio, María Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física; Argentina Fil: Faivovich, Julián. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina

We describe a new species of Pristimantis from upper montane forests and high Andean grasslands of the Pui Pui Protected Forest and its close surroundings, Región Junín, central Peru. The description of the new species is based on 34 specimens found at elevations between 3400 and 3936 m a.s.l. Pristimantis attenboroughi sp. n. is characterized by a snout–vent length of 14.6–19.2 mm in adult males (n = 21), 19.2–23.0 mm in adult females (n = 10), and is compared morphologically and genetically with other taxonomically and biogeographically relevant species of Pristimantis. The new species is characterized by having narrow digits that lack circumferential grooves, irregularly shaped, discontinuous dorsolateral folds, and absence of both tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus. The high similarity in morphology between P. attenboroughi sp. n. and members of the Andean genera Phrynopus and Bryophryne provides an example for convergent evolution, and highlights the importance of using molecular data to justify generic assignment. Pristimantis attenboroughi sp. n. is most similar to Phrynopus chaparroi from the Región Junín, suggesting that the generic placement of this species needs to be revised. Phylogenetically the new species belongs to the Pristimantis danae species Group, a clade that includes several Pristimantis species distributed in the montane forests of central Peru, including P. albertus, P. aniptopalmatus, P. ornatus, and P. stictogaster.

Amphibians are a disproportionately threatened group of vertebrates, the status of which in Sub-Saharan Africa is still uncertain, with heterogeneous fauna punctuated by mountains. Mount Oku, Cameroon is one such mountain, which holds many endemic and restricted-range species. The history of amphibian research on Mt Oku, current knowledge on biogeography and conservation biology is reviewed, including recent findings. This updated inventory adds 25 further species, with 50 species of amphibian so far recorded to the Oku Massif (c. 900 to 3,011 m). This includes 5 endemic to Mt Oku, 7 endemic to the Bamenda Highlands, 18 restricted to the highlands of Cameroon and Nigeria, and 20 with broader ranges across Africa. This includes a new mountain locality for the Critically Endangered Leptodactylodon axillaris. Among others, the first record of Phrynobatrachus schioetzi and Ptychadena taenioscelis from Cameroon are presented. The uncertainty of habitat affinities and elevational ranges are discussed. The proportion of threatened species on Mt Oku is 44.2%, but projected to increase to 47.9% due to new species descriptions and recent dramatic declines. The natural habitats of Mt Oku are irreplaceable refuges for its endemic and restricted-range amphibian populations under severe pressure elsewhere in their range. Threats to this important amphibian fauna are increasing, including agricultural encroachment, expanding aquaculture, livestock grazing, pollution, invasive species, forest loss and degradation. Past, present and desired conservation interventions to address these threats are discussed.

We report the first records of five species of hylid frogs from the Mexican state of Tabasco: Charadrahyla chaneque (Duellman, 1961), Duellmanohyla chamulae (Duellman, 1961), Exerodonta bivocata (Duellman & Hoyt, 1961), Quilticohyla zoque (Canseco-Márquez et al. 2017), and Ptychohyla macrotympanum (Tanner, 1957). These species are associated with streams in tropical evergreen forests and were previously thought to be restricted to one or more of the nearby Mexican states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz.