Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis survey of amphibians in the northern Mozambique “Sky Islands” and lowlying areas
Werner Conradie, Gabriela B. Bittencourt-Silva, Simon P. Loader, Michele Menegon, Cristovão Nanvonamuquitxo, Antoinette Kotzé, Desiré L. Dalton, Hanlie M. Engelbrecht & Kristal A. Tolley
Over the last decades the amphibian chytrid fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been cited as a possible cause for widespread mortalities and population declines in anuran species, however its status as a pathogen implicated in amphibian losses in Africa remains uncertain. In Africa, although most studies have mainly focused on reporting Bd presence, some studies on the absence of Bd in localities. The mapping of the presence and absence of Bd has allowed us to determine areas of high precalence of pathogen and therefore potencially areas of greater conservation concern in terms of possible population declines. the high altitue inselbergs in northern Mozambique have been predicted as hotspots for Bd. Until now, no Bd surveys have been undertaken for Mozambique and we report on the first results of the presence and absence of Bd in northern part of the country.