When chytrid doesn't kill : how it spread in túngara frogs and how females might avoid it

Tungara frogs, despite being tolerant to chytridiomycosis caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), may experience sub-lethal effects that influence their reproductive behavior and success. This study found that Bd infection could alter male mating calls, potentially allowing females to avoid infected males through phonotaxis experiments. The research also revealed that Bd had spread rapidly across Panama from 2010 to 2015, including into previously uninfected regions like Darien National Park, suggesting lowland species may act as reservoirs for the pathogen. By analyzing population dynamics and reproductive behaviors over five years, the study highlighted long-term, non-lethal impacts of Bd on tolerant species, offering insights relevant to other wildlife-pathogen interactions.

Rodríguez Brenes, S. M. (2017). When chytrid doesn't kill : how it spread in túngara frogs and how females might avoid it. University of Texas at Austin. https://doi.org/10.15781/T2R20S21G