a brief introduction to batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (bsal) and the threat to southeastern taxa

First  Southern  Appalachians  Batrachochytrium  salamandrivorans  (Bsal)  mee6ng  

History  

•  First  discovered  in  The  Netherlands  (2013)  

•  Reduced  infected  popula6ons  to  less  than  4%  

Effects  on  salamanders    

•  Mul6focal  superficial  erosions  and  deep  ulcera6ons  all  over  the  body  

•  Death  generally  occurs  in  under  2  weeks  aNer  a  short  episode  of  anorexia,  apathy,  and  ataxia  

Thermal  preference    

Threat  to  southern  Appalachian  species  

•  Martel  et  al.  (2014)  tested  35  species  across  all  amphibian  orders  

Threat  to  southern  Appalachian  species  

•  Threat-­‐  moderate  •  Temp  of  most  habitat  is  outside  of  ideal  growth  range  •  1  of  3  Hynobs  contracted  Bsal  •  Habitat  of  S.  keyserlingii-­‐  terrestrial  but  breed  in  permanent  

pools  

Sirenidae    

•  Threat  -­‐  moderate  •  Only  species  tested  does  contract  Bsal,  but  is  tolerant  

Ambystoma6ds  

•  Threat-­‐  low  •  2  species  tested-­‐  both  tolerant  •  Larvae  suscep6bility  untested  

Salamandrids  

•  Threat-­‐  extremely  high  •  Nearly  all  species  died  from  infec6on  •  Large  popula6ons  and  wide  spread-­‐  can  serve  as  a  reservoir  •  Both  terrestrial  and  aqua6c  forms  give  this  species  the  

ability  to  rapidly  spread  Bsal  

Waterdogs  and  amphiumas  

•  ???  

Dusky  and  climbing  salamanders  

•  Threat-­‐  High  •  Bsal  was  lethal  in  Hydromantes,  which  is  very  similar  

ecologically  to  Aneides  •  Desmogs  are  endemic  widely  spread  and  ecologically  diverse    

Woodland  Plethodon6ds  

•  Threat-­‐  moderate  due  simply  to  the  number  of  species  

•  Plethodon  glu:nosus  was  immune  

Splerpines    

•  Threat-­‐  low  to  moderate  

•  Gyrinophilus  was  immune    

•  Again,  very  diverse  

Conclusions    

•  Bsal  has  the  poten6al  to  decimate  southern  Appalachian  salamander  diversity  and  density  

•  The  biggest  threats  appear  to  be  to  red  spo[ed  newts,  green  salamanders,  and  the  dusky  salamanders  

•  We  need  a  lot  more  data  and  conserva6on  strategy