Frogs are amazing

[Ganoderma]

the colour thing is just like the colour wheels we know from school. what colours make green? yellow/blue. the snake pet trade sees things like this all the time. take the ball python for example. there is the common albino which lacks black so its colour is yellow and white. there is they type that lacks yellow and is black/white (not as pretty as it sounds). then there is the double-recessive which lacks both and is all white (they call that snow i think). then there are the ultra cool leucistic (sp?) ones that are a simple recessive white snake...super cool. Theres names for the different types but I won’t pretend I can spell them..

 

sorry to stray off that topic. anyway it was bugging me so i took a boo. here is the wiki, because it is more organized than most sites.... these guys are extinct (thanks to you ozzies! hehe, joking).

 

Gastric-brooding frog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

the other ones that came to mind are Nectophrynoides.

 

very cool frogs.

 

I am sorry, i am using all that is in my not to stray off topic into the world of caecilians.

 

ohh...the south american ones you are thinking of are probably Rhinoderma darwini. in this species they lay eggs and the male swallows the tadpoles? and they develop in their vocal sac. Crazy stuff.

[Ganoderma]

oh speaking of enviromental effects on frogs...here is a "american" bullfrog here in taiwan (rather polluted here). I named it "franken frog".

 

 

due to all the endangered things and my love for anything herpetology related i amy be taking a trip to australia and hopefully new zealand to photograph some of those rare beauties. i hope that is!

[Michaelangelica]

.. these guys are extinct (thanks to you ozzies! hehe, joking).

 

Gastric-brooding frog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes, very sad, no-one knows why:(

The Action Plan for Australian Frogs - Recovery Outline No. 21: Gastric Brooding Frog

I would think that the introduced Cane Toad running rampant in Queensland would be one reason? You can drive over roads covered with them.

 

the other ones that came to mind are Nectophrynoides.

 

very cool frogs.

Great photo here:-

Global Amphibian Assessment Photograph Information

Nectophrynoides viviparus (Vulnerable) occurs in the Uluguru and Udzungwa Mountains and in the Southern Highlands of eastern and southern Tanzania. It is threatened by ongoing forest loss. It is one of very few species of frogs that gives birth to live young.

 

I am sorry, i am using all that is in my not to stray off topic into the world of caecilians.

That word is new to me. Why not start another thread for them?

[Michaelangelica]

Erspamer later discovered dermorphin and deltorphin peptides that would act similarly to morphine in terms of pain reduction, but which, while 33 and 17 times as strong as pharmaceutical morphine, would not be habit forming because they are bioactive. Your body would simply eliminate what it didn’t need.

 

Mariri Magazine - Frog Sweat ~ Matses Rainforest Medicine

[Michaelangelica]

New frog species discovered

 

March 14, 2007 03:11pm

Article from: AAP

 

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A NEW species of frog has been discovered in Western Australia.

 

The chattering rock frog was found in the Kimberley region by scientists documenting biodiversity ahead of the arrival of the cane toad.

 

WA Museum herpetologist Paul Doughty and Sydney based tadpole expert Marian Anstis discovered the frog near the Grotto, a waterhole near the East Kimberley town of Wyndham.

 

Dr Doughty said today the frog was the first new species from the region to be described in 20 years.

 

"We found it initially because of its unusual Morse code-like call which is reflected in its scientific name, Litoria staccato," Dr Doughty said.

 

The chattering rock frog was endemic to the Kimberley region and unlikely to be affected by the imminent invasion of the cane toads, he said.

New frog species discovered | Herald Sun

[freeztar]

A new weapon in the battle against HIV may come from an unusual source -- a small tropical frog.

Investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported this month in the Journal of Virology that compounds secreted by frog skin are potent blockers of HIV infection.

 

The findings could lead to topical treatments for preventing HIV transmission, and they reinforce the value of preserving the Earth's biodiversity.

 

"We need to protect these species long enough for us to understand their medicinal cabinet," said Louise A. Rollins-Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of Microbiology & Immunology, who has been studying the antimicrobial defenses of frogs for about six years. Frogs, she explained, have specialized granular glands in the skin that produce and store packets of peptides, small protein-like molecules. In response to skin injury or alarm, the frog secretes large amounts of these antimicrobial peptides onto the surface of the skin to combat pathogens like bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Compounds secreted by frog skin are potent blockers of HIV infection

[Michaelangelica]

Most frogs seem covered in anti-biotics so that can survive in wet environment.

 

We need to study them quickly before they all go

 

On the Cane Toad, the only Toad in Oz (introduced)

 

"We will not be able to wipe them out, but by killing as many as we can, we will minimise their impact," he says, wiping away the sweat and warm rain streaking down his face on this oppressively humid night. "If you just let them breed, then there will be absolute devastation."

 

Sawyer is a founder of FrogWatch, the conservation group that has led the fight

Gulfnews: Busting cane toads

 

Know your enemy

NT Frogs Database

 

Intelligence

frogs.org.au Community :: View topic - WA frog

--

[Michaelangelica]

News-Medical.Net

 

Tree frogs have the unique ability to stick to smooth surfaces even when they are tilted well beyond the vertical - some small tree frogs can even adhere when completely upside down.

 

Conversely when walking or jumping they can detach their toe pads easily. Researchers from the University of Glasgow will present insights into how this fascinating ability is controlled at the Society for Experimental Biology's Annual Meeting in Glasgow, UK.

 

"The toe pads of tree frogs are coated with a thin mucus which adhere to surfaces by wet adhesion, like wet tissue paper sticking to glass. The process by which they detach their toe pads is called peeling and is akin to us removing a sticking plaster from ourselves," explains Dr Jon Barnes, head of the research group, "We were keen to understand why a tree frog on an overhanging surface didn't simply peel off rather than adhere."

 

To investigate this, scientists measured adhesive and frictional forces simultaneously on individual toe pads of White's tree frogs (Family Hylidae),

New insight on tree frog adhesion

[Ganoderma]

perhaps, in typical human fashion, you should introduce yet ANOTHER animal to wipe out the cain toads. like you did to get rid of the cain beetle. :shrug:

 

on a serious note, cain toads may be able to be used as medicine. their toxinc secretions contain many funky chemicals.

[Michaelangelica]

on a serious note, cain toads may be able to be used as medicine. their toxinc secretions contain many funky chemicals.

Yes but smoking them is, unfortunately, not a popular pastime.

You probably need to rub them on your broomstick then. . .

[Ganoderma]

dont knock it. works with others! apperantly in haiti they are used in various "potions".

[Michaelangelica]

A couple of good links on Australian frogs

A Question of Balance - Environmental Program

[Michaelangelica]

Saving the spotted tree frog. 26 Apr 2007. Rural Online. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Saving the spotted tree frog

By Emily Doak

 

Thursday, 26/04/2007

 

Scientists are encouraged by some early results of a captive breeding program that aims to save a native frog from extinction.

 

The last male spotted tree frog in New South Wales was rescued from the Kosciuszko National Park in 1998 when the population crashed.

 

Threatened species officer with the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change David Hunter believes the population decline was due to the amphibian chytrid fungus, responsible for the demise of many frog species on the eastern ranges.

 

The lone male frog, nicknamed "Dirk Diggler" from the movie character in Boogie Nights, has been mated with a number of females from a nearby Victorian colony.

 

Mr Hunter says some of the off-spring have been reared to one-year-old frogs and then released back into the original location in the Kosciuszko National Park.

 

"If we'd released eggs and tadpoles chances are a lot of them would have died but we felt releasing one year old frogs would give the population a better chance," he said, "But we didn't know how frogs that had been reared in captivity for a year would perform once put back into the wild and much to our delight they've done exceptionally well."

[Michaelangelica]

dont knock it. works with others! apperantly in haiti they are used in various "potions".

No, many, if not most, work especially if they contain a frog or toad or two.

Broomsticks, if you think about where they go, were useful for applying potentially toxic substances to "mucous membranes";) rather than taking them by mouth. Hence our classic icon of a witch on a broomstick.:hihi:

 

As many did not know the difference between hallucination and reality there are many ancient recipes for flying on a broomstick. A German professor and his students tried one some years ago (See Jeanne Rose's book "Herbs and Things"). They flew.:naughty:

 

 

 

Ananova:

Frogs to wipe out killer bug

 

Killer hospital bug MRSA could be wiped out thanks to frogs say scientists.

 

They have developed a treatment using a substance produced by American bullfrogs.

 

It could slash the 2,000 MRSA deaths a year in the UK if used when dressing wounds and cleaning wards, reports The Sun.

 

Researchers at Scotland's St Andrews University said the frogs produce a antimicrobial protein called ranalexin.

 

When combined with the enzyme lysostaphin it had a "potent and significant" effect on MRSA.

Ananova - Frogs to wipe out killer bug

[Michaelangelica]

Nice Australian Blog on frogs with pics

Envirotalk -> EvanP's Frogging Blog

[Michaelangelica]

Frog-killer fungus well established Digg It E-mail

Wednesday, 02 May 2007

Griffith University

 

The deadly chytrid fungus is making devastating in-roads into Australia's vulnerable frog populations, with a Griffith University study revealing the disease-causing fungus is now established in frog populations throughout Eastern Australia.

 

Griffith researcher Kerry Kriger has just completed a PhD study within the Endangered Frog Research Group in Griffith University's Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies, focusing on the geography of the disease across the region from the mountains to the coast between Cairns and southern NSW.

 

Kerry said that chytridiomycosis – the disease caused by the fungus – was likely absent from Queensland until 1978. It is now prevalent in moist, temperate areas around Australia, and around the world. Scientists theorise the rapid spread has been driven by international trade in amphibians as well as environmental factors.

 

"Chytrid has spread so quickly that frogs often have no chance to evolve resistance to it," Kerry said.

 

"It's highly infectious, so when it arrives in an area most frogs are likely to contract it. It attacks the keratin in the frogs' skin, and may also produce a toxin that poisons the frog. The disease can have an 80 per cent mortality rate, and is already believed to be responsible for 6-8 species extinctions in eastern Australia.

 

"Overseas dozens of species have disappeared due to the disease."

 

Kerry said research was underway around Australia to understand and control the disease, both through fungicidal treatment of infected tadpoles and frogs,

ScienceAlert - Australia & NZ - Frog-killer fungus well established

 

:hyper: This is a bit better :)

ScienceAlert - Australia & NZ - Cleaning up killer fungus

Cleaning up killer fungus Digg It E-mail

Friday, 30 March 2007

James Cook University

 

James Cook University scientists have discovered that a commercially available disinfectant can kill the deadly chytrid fungus, which has wiped out several Australian frog species.

 

Researchers from JCU’s School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences have been testing commercially available disinfectants for their effectiveness in killing the fungus, thereby reducing the disease’s spread.

 

Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) causes chytridiomycosis, a highly infectious amphibian disease first discovered in dead and dying frogs in Queensland in 1993. The fungus is widespread across Australia and has been present since at least 1978. It infects the skin of frogs, disrupting the epidermal layers and causing increased shedding and death.

 

Researchers Ms Rebecca Webb, Ms Diana Mendez, Dr Lee Berger and Professor Rick Speare have studied the effectiveness of the disinfectants TriGene, F10 and Betadine against the fungus.

 

Their findings are published in the February issue of the journal Diseases of Aquatic Organisms.

 

“Identifying efficient and practical disinfectants effective against chytrid fungus is important to reduce the spread of the disease, both in the wild and captivity,” Ms Webb said.

 

“TriGene is the most effective disinfectant yet to be found, and both TriGene and F10 are more effective than disinfectants tested in previous studies. TriGene and F10 are recommended for use in the field over the previously recommended DDAC (didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) products, as they are active at much lower concentrations and appear to have no record of environmental toxicity.”

 

The disinfectants are used to clean equipment that has been used when handling amphibians or that has been in contact with contaminated water bodies.

 

The team is also investigating how chytrid fungus causes frog deaths as well as mortality rates, transmission rates, differences in species susceptibility, and the spread and origin of fungal strains.

 

Epidemiologist, parasitologist and one of the leaders of JCU’s Amphibian Disease Ecology Group, Dr Lee Skerratt, said chytrid fungus had led to the extinction of up to 122 frog species, eight in Australia.

 

“We are dealing with a disease that drives its host to extinction, which is very rare,” Dr Skerratt said.

 

“Some of the species that have been lost were unique,” Dr Skerratt said. “For example, the Southern Day Frog used to sit on rocks in streams calling during the day, delighting people who visited rainforests.

 

“And the remarkable gastric brooding frogs, that swallowed their eggs which then developed into frogs in their stomach before hatching out their mouth, have also gone.”

[Michaelangelica]

A 25 million year old frog!

February 17, 2007—A miner from Mexico's Chiapas state has made the find of a lifetime—a tiny tree frog preserved in amber that could be 25 million years old, a scientist recently announced (map of Mexico).

 

The block of amber, or fossilized tree resin, encasing the 0.4-inch (1-centimeter) frog was unearthed in 2005 and sold to a private collector, according to the Associated Press (AP). The collector then lent the piece—seen in this photo released on February 14—to scientists.

 

The specimen appears to belong to the genus Craugastor, said Gerardo Carbot, of the Chiapas Natural History and Ecology Institute, who has been studying the find. This genus includes many modern frogs native to Central America. February 17, 2007—A miner from Mexico's Chiapas state has made the find of a lifetime—a tiny tree frog preserved in amber that could be 25 million years old, a scientist recently announced (map of Mexico).

 

The block of amber, or fossilized tree resin, encasing the 0.4-inch (1-centimeter) frog was unearthed in 2005 and sold to a private collector, according to the Associated Press (AP). The collector then lent the piece—seen in this photo released on February 14—to scientists.

 

The specimen appears to belong to the genus Craugastor, said Gerardo Carbot, of the Chiapas Natural History and Ecology Institute, who has been studying the find. This genus includes many modern frogs native to Central America.