Disease reservoirs threaten the recently rediscovered
Podocarpus Stubfoot Toad (Atelopus podocarpus)

Jervis, P; Karlsdottir, B; Jehle, R; Almeida-Reinoso, D; Almeida-Reinoso, F; Ron, S; Fisher, MC; Merino-Viteri, A

Abstract

The Andes have experienced an unprecedented wave of amphibian declines and extinctions that
are linked to a combination of habitat reduction and the spread of the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis (Bd). In the present study, a range of high-altitude habitats in Southern Ecuador were surveyed
for the presence of Bd. With a particular focus on Yacuri National Park, infection data are presented from
across the resident amphibian community. This community contains a once putatively extinct species which
was rediscovered in 2016, the Podocarpus Stubfoot Toad (Atelopus podocarpus). Across species, local Bd
prevalence was 73% in tadpoles (n = 41 individuals from three species) and 14% in adults (n = 43 individuals
from 14 species). Strikingly, 93% (14/15) of tested tadpoles of the recently described local endemic, Gastrotheca
yacuri, were infected with a high pathogen load, suggesting that this species likely acts as a reservoir of
infection in Yacuri. These findings show that the threat of disease for A. podocarpus still exists, and that this
species requires urgent action to ensure its survival.

Citation

Podocarpus Stubfoot Toad (Atelopus podocarpus). Amphibian & reptile conservation, 14(2), 157-164

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 5, 2020
• Publication Date: Jul 7, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jul 6, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 27, 2020
• Journal: Amphibian & Reptile Conservation
• Print ISSN: 1083-446X
• Electronic ISSN: 1525-9153
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 157-164
• Publisher URL: http://amphibian-reptile-conservation.org/pdfs/Volume/Vol_14_no_2/ARC_14_2_[General_Section]_157-164_e243.pdf
• Related Public URLs: http://amphibian-reptile-conservation.org/
• Additional Information: Funders : Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund;“Balsa de los Sapos” Amphibian Conservation Initiative of the Pontifcia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE);Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);Canadian Institute For Advanced Research (CIFAR); Grant Number: 182518074; Grant Number: QINV0132-IINV529010100; Grant Number: NE/S000844/1; Grant Number: MR/R015600/1