Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 October 2009-30 November 2009.

This article documents the addition of 411 microsatellite marker loci and 15 pairs of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) sequencing primers to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Acanthopagrus schlegeli, Anopheles lesteri, Aspergillus clavatus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus terreus, Branchiostoma japonicum, Branchiostoma belcheri, Colias behrii, Coryphopterus personatus, Cynogolssus semilaevis, Cynoglossus semilaevis, Dendrobium officinale, Dendrobium officinale, Dysoxylum malabaricum, Metrioptera roeselii, Myrmeciza exsul, Ochotona thibetana, Neosartorya fischeri, Nothofagus pumilio, Onychodactylus fischeri, Phoenicopterus roseus, Salvia officinalis L., Scylla paramamosain, Silene latifo, Sula sula, and Vulpes vulpes. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Aspergillus giganteus, Colias pelidne, Colias interior, Colias meadii, Colias eurytheme, Coryphopterus lipernes, Coryphopterus glaucofrenum, Coryphopterus eidolon, Gnatholepis thompsoni, Elacatinus evelynae, Dendrobium loddigesii Dendrobium devonianum, Dysoxylum binectariferum, Nothofagus antarctica, Nothofagus dombeyii, Nothofagus nervosa, Nothofagus obliqua, Sula nebouxii, and Sula variegata. This article also documents the addition of 39 sequencing primer pairs and 15 allele specific primers or probes for Paralithodes camtschaticus.

First detection of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in free-ranging populations of amphibians on mainland Asia: survey in South Korea.

Chytridiomycosis, a disease that has caused amphibian population declines globally and elevated many species of anurans to endangered or threatened status, has recently been declared an internationally notifiable disease. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the amphibian chytrid fungus causing this disease, has not been previously reported in Korea or on mainland Asia. Thirty-six frog specimens representing 7 species were collected from the wild in South Korea and examined for Bd using standard PCR. Bd was detected in 14 (38.8%) samples from 3 species (Bufo gargarizans, Hyla japonica, and Rana catesbiana). Skin sections from all 14 PCR-positive frogs were examined using 2 staining techniques: haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Bd immunoperoxidase (IPX). In histological sections, zoosporangia were found in 6 frogs, with lower sensitivity for H&E (21%) than for IPX (46%). Intensity of infection, based on histopathology, was low in all frogs. These results confirm that Bd is present in South Korea and, hence, on the Asian mainland. Studies are urgently required to determine the impact of chytridiomycosis on Korean amphibians, and to map the distribution of Bd in Korea and other Asian mainland countries.

Habitat-specific sensory-exploitative signals in birds: propensity of dipteran prey to cause evolution of plumage variation in flush-pursuit insectivores.

Sensory exploitation occurs when signals trigger behavioral reactions that diminish the receiver's fitness. Research in this area focuses on the match between the signal's form and the receiver's sensitivity, but the effect of habitat on interspecific sensory exploitation is rarely addressed. Myioborus redstarts use conspicuous wing and tail displays of contrasting black-and-white plumage patches to flush dipteran insects, which are then pursued and captured in flight. Previous studies have shown that by increasing the distance at which insects perform an escape response, conspicuous visual displays improve the birds' foraging performance. We tested the hypothesis that selection for a visual signal that maximizes prey escape distance under local habitat conditions can lead to the evolution of geographic variation in plumage pattern among Myioborus redstarts. Using models of foraging birds, we recorded the escape responses of Dipterous insects to a range of plumage patterns and background tones (from light to dark) to determine whether the plumage pattern that maximizes prey flushing is dependent upon that habitat (background) against which birds are viewed by their prey. Our results indicate that the effectiveness of a particular plumage pattern in flushing dipteran prey depends strongly on the background against which that plumage pattern is displayed, and darker habitat (background) conditions generally favor plumages with more extensive patches of white in the tail. However, the addition of white wing patches that imitate the plumage of the painted redstart (Myioborus pictus) generally increases insect escape responses but reduces the effect that tail pattern variation and background tone have on escape behavior. These experiments support the hypothesis that habitat-specific natural selection to enhance sensory exploitation of prey escape responses could produce geographic variation in plumage patterns of flush-pursuers.