Odonate diversity of a highly urbanised region: An annotated checklist of the damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta, Odonata) of Lario and Brianza (Lombardy, N Italy).

Background: Given their sensitivity to environmental alterations, odonates act as reliable bioindicators to assess the effects of changes in freshwater ecosystems and associated terrestrial habitats. The region comprised between Lario and Brianza (Provinces of Como, Lecco and Monza and Brianza - Lombardy, N Italy) is one of the most urbanised of the Italian peninsula and large parts of its territory have been heavily altered, especially at low elevation. Despite this pervasive anthropogenisation, the area is still characterised by a considerable variety of freshwater habitats, possibly harbouring rich odonate communities, which, however, have been never thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to produce the first commented checklist of the Odonata of this region, accompanied by distribution maps. New information: The work is based on 12,093 records spanning from 1981 and 2022, derived from literature (289), revision of collections (42), citizen-science projects (1249) and unpublished data from the authors and their collaborators (10,513). Overall, fifty-five species occur - or occurred in the past - in the study area (20 Zygoptera and 35 Anisoptera). One species, Erythrommanajas, was confirmed exclusively before 1978, while seven species (Lestesbarbarus, Coenagrionscitulum, Aeshnaaffinis, Anaxephippiger, Somatochloraarctica, Sympetrummeridionale and Trithemisannulata) have been recorded only after 2000. Records referring to Chalcolestesparvidens and Sympetrumflaveolum were considered questionable and excluded from the checklist. A list of species for each protected site is additionally provided. This work highlighted the importance for odonates of Lario and Brianza Regions from a national perspective, in particular for species of conservation priority/interest, such as Sympecmapaedisca, Oxygastracurtisii and Sympetrumdepressiusculum.

An emerging viral pathogen truncates population age structure in a European amphibian and may reduce population viability.

Infectious diseases can alter the demography of their host populations, reducing their viability even in the absence of mass mortality. Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates globally, and emerging infectious diseases play a large role in their continued population declines. Viruses belonging to the genus Ranavirus are responsible for one of the deadliest and most widespread of these diseases. To date, no work has used individual level data to investigate how ranaviruses affect population demographic structure. We used skeletochronology and morphology to evaluate the impact of ranaviruses on the age structure of populations of the European common frog (Rana temporaria) in the UK. We compared ecologically similar populations that differed most notably in their historical presence or absence of ranavirosis (the acute syndrome caused by ranavirus infection). Our results suggest that ranavirosis may truncate the age structure of R. temporaria populations. One potential explanation for such a shift might be increased adult mortality and subsequent shifts in the life history of younger age classes that increase reproductive output earlier in life. Additionally, we constructed population projection models which indicated that such increased adult mortality could heighten the vulnerability of frog populations to stochastic environmental challenges.

Development and worldwide use of non-lethal, and minimal population-level impact, protocols for the isolation of amphibian chytrid fungi.

Parasitic chytrid fungi have emerged as a significant threat to amphibian species worldwide, necessitating the development of techniques to isolate these pathogens into culture for research purposes. However, early methods of isolating chytrids from their hosts relied on killing amphibians. We modified a pre-existing protocol for isolating chytrids from infected animals to use toe clips and biopsies from toe webbing rather than euthanizing hosts, and distributed the protocol to researchers as part of the BiodivERsA project RACE; here called the RML protocol. In tandem, we developed a lethal procedure for isolating chytrids from tadpole mouthparts. Reviewing a database of use a decade after their inception, we find that these methods have been applied across 5 continents, 23 countries and in 62 amphibian species. Isolation of chytrids by the non-lethal RML protocol occured in 18% of attempts with 207 fungal isolates and three species of chytrid being recovered. Isolation of chytrids from tadpoles occured in 43% of attempts with 334 fungal isolates of one species (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) being recovered. Together, these methods have resulted in a significant reduction and refinement of our use of threatened amphibian species and have improved our ability to work with this group of emerging pathogens.

Recent Asian origin of chytrid fungi causing global amphibian declines.

Globalized infectious diseases are causing species declines worldwide, but their source often remains elusive. We used whole-genome sequencing to solve the spatiotemporal origins of the most devastating panzootic to date, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a proximate driver of global amphibian declines. We traced the source of B. dendrobatidis to the Korean peninsula, where one lineage, BdASIA-1, exhibits the genetic hallmarks of an ancestral population that seeded the panzootic. We date the emergence of this pathogen to the early 20th century, coinciding with the global expansion of commercial trade in amphibians, and we show that intercontinental transmission is ongoing. Our findings point to East Asia as a geographic hotspot for B. dendrobatidis biodiversity and the original source of these lineages that now parasitize amphibians worldwide.

Longevity in Calumma parsonii, the World's largest chameleon.

Large body size of ectothermic species can be correlated with high life expectancy. We assessed the longevity of the World's largest chameleon, the Parson's chameleon Calumma parsonii from Madagascar by using skeletochronology of phalanges taken from preserved specimens held in European natural history museums. Due to the high bone resorption we can provide only the minimum age of each specimen. The highest minimum age detected was nine years for a male and eight years for a female, confirming that this species is considerably long living among chameleons. Our data also show a strong correlation between snout-vent length and estimated age.

Islands within an island: Population genetic structure of the endemic Sardinian newt, Euproctus platycephalus.

The identification of historic and contemporary barriers to dispersal is central to the conservation of endangered amphibians, but may be hindered by their complex life history and elusive nature. The complementary information generated by mitochondrial (mtDNA) and microsatellite markers generates a valuable tool in elucidating population structure and the impact of habitat fragmentation. We applied this approach to the study of an endangered montane newt, Euproctus platycephalus. Endemic to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, it is threatened by anthropogenic activity, disease, and climate change. We have demonstrated a clear hierarchy of structure across genetically divergent and spatially distinct subpopulations. Divergence between three main mountain regions dominated genetic partitioning with both markers. Mitochondrial phylogeography revealed a deep division dating to ca. 1 million years ago (Mya), isolating the northern region, and further differentiation between the central and southern regions ca. 0.5 Mya, suggesting an association with Pleistocene severe glacial oscillations. Our findings are consistent with a model of southward range expansion during glacial periods, with postglacial range retraction to montane habitat and subsequent genetic isolation. Microsatellite markers revealed further strong population structure, demonstrating significant divergence within the central region, and partial differentiation within the south. The northern population showed reduced genetic diversity. Discordance between mitochondrial and microsatellite markers at this scale indicated a further complexity of population structure, in keeping with male-biased dispersal and female philopatry. Our study underscores the need to elucidate cryptic population structure in the ecology and conservation strategies for endangered island-restricted amphibians, especially in the context of disease and climate change.

Resistance to chytridiomycosis in European plethodontid salamanders of the genus Speleomantes.

North America and the neotropics harbor nearly all species of plethodontid salamanders. In contrast, this family of caudate amphibians is represented in Europe and Asia by two genera, Speleomantes and Karsenia, which are confined to small geographic ranges. Compared to neotropical and North American plethodontids, mortality attributed to chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has not been reported for European plethodontids, despite the established presence of Bd in their geographic distribution. We determined the extent to which Bd is present in populations of all eight species of European Speleomantes and show that Bd was undetectable in 921 skin swabs. We then compared the susceptibility of one of these species, Speleomantes strinatii, to experimental infection with a highly virulent isolate of Bd (BdGPL), and compared this to the susceptible species Alytes muletensis. Whereas the inoculated A. muletensis developed increasing Bd-loads over a 4-week period, none of five exposed S. strinatii were colonized by Bd beyond 2 weeks post inoculation. Finally, we determined the extent to which skin secretions of Speleomantes species are capable of killing Bd. Skin secretions of seven Speleomantes species showed pronounced killing activity against Bd over 24 hours. In conclusion, the absence of Bd in Speleomantes combined with resistance to experimental chytridiomycosis and highly efficient skin defenses indicate that the genus Speleomantes is a taxon unlikely to decline due to Bd.

Rapid sexual maturity and short life span in the blue-legged frog and the rainbow frog from the arid Isalo Massif, southern-central Madagascar.

Longevity and age at sexual maturity were estimated in two anurans from the arid Isalo Massif (southern-central Madagascar), the blue-legged frog (Mantella expectata) and the rainbow frog (Scaphiophryne gottlebei). Phalanges from 69 individuals of M. expectata and 38 individuals of S. gottlebei were analyzed, using the skeletochronological method, in samples collected during two periods: January-February and November-December 2004. The male gonads of both species were also analyzed in order to better correlate reproductive activity with phenology. The phalangeal diaphysis in adults of both species was composed of two concentric bone layers: an innermost endosteal bone, which was less developed or sometimes lacking in S. gottlebei, and an outermost and broader layer of periosteal bone. Lines of arrested growth (LAGs) were observed in both species, although their recognition was more problematic and their distinctiveness much less evident in S. gottlebei. The results presented here indicate that M. expectata and S. gottlebei have a short life span and attain sexual maturity within the first active season after metamorphosis. Maximum longevity was 3 years in M. expectata and 2 years in S. gottlebei. In S. gottlebei the adult body size is likely attained during the same season in which metamorphosis occurs, but then breeding occurs only after the first latency period. Thus, mature individuals have only one LAG, corresponding to 1 year. The low number of individuals with two LAGs suggests that most animals die before the second latency period.

Fatal chytridiomycosis in the tyrrhenian painted frog.

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the causative agent of the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, is an important factor in the global decline of amphibians. Within Europe, animals that exhibit clinical signs of the disease have only been reported in Spain despite the pathogen's wide, but patchy, distribution on the continent. Recently, another occurrence of chytridiomycosis was reported in Euproctus platycephalus, the Sardinian brook newt, on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, but without any evidence of fatal disease. We report further evidence of the emergence of Bd on Sardinia and the first evidence of lethal chytridiomycosis outside of Spain. Unusual mortalities of the Tyrrhenian painted frog (Discoglossus sardus) were found at three sites in the Limbara mountains of northern Sardinia. Molecular and histological screens of corpses, frogs, and tadpoles from these sites revealed infection with Bd. Infection and mortality occurred at locations that are unusual in terms of the published habitat requirements of the pathogen. Given the endemicity, the IUCN Red List status of the amphibian species on Sardinia, and the occurrence of infection and mortality caused by chytridiomycosis, there is serious reason for concern for the impact that disease emergence may have on the conservation of the amphibians of the island.