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1: Science. 1999 Apr 30;284(5415):802-4.Click here to read Links
Comment in:
Science. 1999 Apr 30;284(5415):731, 733.

The effect of trematode infection on amphibian limb development and survivorship.

Johnson PT, Lunde KB, Ritchie EG, Launer AE.

Center for Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5020, USA. pieter@bing.stanford.edu

The causes of amphibian deformities and their role in widespread amphibian declines remain conjectural. Severe limb abnormalities were induced at high frequencies in Pacific treefrogs (Hyla regilla) exposed to cercariae of a trematode parasite (Ribeiroia sp.). The abnormalities closely matched those observed at field sites, and an increase in parasite density caused an increase in abnormality frequency and a decline in tadpole survivorship. These findings call for further investigation of parasite infection as a cause of amphibian deformities in other sites and species.

PMID: 10221912 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]