BATRACHOCHYTRIUM DENDROBATIDIS IN A CAPTIVE COLLECTION OF GREEN SALAMANDERS ( ANEIDES AENEUS), LONG-TAILED SALAMANDERS ( EURYCEA LONGICAUDA), AND TWO-LINED SALAMANDERS ( EURYCEA BISLINEATA).

ABSTRACT

A chytridiomycosis outbreak from Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd) in a mixed-species plethodontid salamander exhibit resulted in four green salamander ( Aneides aeneus) deaths. One green salamander died before treatment, and three died during treatment with daily 0.005% itraconazole baths. All salamanders had evidence of severe Bd infections via cytology, histopathology, and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at the time of death. Ten long-tailed salamanders ( Eurycea longicauda) and one two-lined salamander ( Eurycea bislineata) that shared the enclosure were initially negative for Bd on quantitative PCR but were prophylactically treated with daily 0.01% itraconazole baths for 11 days. Posttreatment testing yielded eight long-tailed salamanders and one two-lined salamander positive for Bd with low gene equivalents. All salamanders were negative after two to three treatment courses, and there were no additional mortalities. The difference in mortality and fungal load suggested that genus Aneides salamanders may be more susceptible to Bd than genus Eurycea salamanders.