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Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

  • Kingdom: Fungi
  • Division: Chytridiomycota
  • Class: Chytridiomycetes
  • Order: Rhizophydiales
  • Genus: Batrachochytrium
  • Species: B. dendrobatidis (6)

pic (3)

Picturepic (5)
Description(1):
  • Zoosporic chytrid fungus that causes chytridiomycosis (a fungal infection of the skin) in amphibians 
  • Non-hyphal  and parasitic 
  • Has been associated with population declines in endemic amphibian species 
  • Causes cutaneous mycosis (fungal infection of the skin), or chytridiomycosis, in wild and captive amphibians 
  • Can remain viable in the environment (especially aquatic environments) for weeks on its own, and may persist in latent infections

Habitat(1):
  • Thought to have originated in Africa
  • Currently found in upland montane rain forests in Australia and Panama
  • Amphibians, lakes, natural forests, riparian zones, water courses
  • Reported seen in 38 amphibian species in 12 families, including ranid and hylid frogs, bufonid toads, and plethodontid salamanders
  • Found in a range of species and habitats (including African frogs in lowland regions in Africa) but has caused population declines of amphibians species confined to montane rain forests
  • Prefers lower temperatures which may explain the high precedence of the fungus in high elevations in the tropics



PictureFrog affected by the fungus (4)
Reproduction(1):
  • Reproduces asexually by producing aquatic uniflagellated zoospores in a zoosporangium
  • Produces inoperculate, smooth-walled zoosporangia (zoospore containing bodies), which are spherical to subspherical in shape
  • Each zoosporangium (10µm to 40µm in diameter) produces a single discharge tube, which penetrates (and protrudes out of) the skin
  • Eventually the plug that blocks the release of immature zoospores is shed and the mature zoospores are released
  • Zoospores (0.7µm to 6µm in diameter) are elongate to ovoid in shape, each possesses a single posterior flagellum, rendering it motile in water 

Picture
pic (2)
Conservation Status(1):
  • Found in a range of species and habitats

Interesting Facts(1):
  • Parasitic fungus on amphibians
  • Can survive on its own in the environment for extended periods of time
  • Spores have a single posterior flagellum
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