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Science 30 April 1999:
Vol. 284. no. 5415, pp. 802 - 804
DOI: 10.1126/science.284.5415.802
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Reports

The Effect of Trematode Infection on Amphibian Limb Development and Survivorship

Pieter T. J. Johnson, 1*dagger Kevin B. Lunde, 1dagger Euan G. Ritchie, 2 Alan E. Launer 1

The causes of amphibian deformities and their role in widespread amphibian declines remain conjectural. Severe limb abnormalities were induced at high frequencies in Pacific treefrogs (Hyla regilla) exposed to cercariae of a trematode parasite (Ribeiroia sp.). The abnormalities closely matched those observed at field sites, and an increase in parasite density caused an increase in abnormality frequency and a decline in tadpole survivorship. These findings call for further investigation of parasite infection as a cause of amphibian deformities in other sites and species.

1 Center for Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5020, USA.
2 Department of Zoology and Tropical Ecology, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pieter{at}bing.stanford.edu

dagger    Present address: Roberts Environmental Center, Claremont McKenna College, W. M. Keck Science Center, 925 North Mills Road, Claremont, CA 91711-5916, USA.

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Aquatic eutrophication promotes pathogenic infection in amphibians.
P. T. J. Johnson, J. M. Chase, K. L. Dosch, R. B. Hartson, J. A. Gross, D. J. Larson, D. R. Sutherland, and S. R. Carpenter (2007)
PNAS 104, 15781-15786
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Comparing the Effects of Stage and Duration of Retinoic Acid Exposure on Amphibian Limb Development: Chronic Exposure Results in Mortality, Not Limb Malformations.
S. J. Degitz, G. W. Holcombe, P. A. Kosian, J. E. Tietge, E. J. Durhan, and G. T. Ankley (2003)
Toxicol. Sci. 74, 139-146
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From the Cover: Synergism between trematode infection and pesticide exposure: A link to amphibian limb deformities in nature?.
J. M. Kiesecker (2002)
PNAS 99, 9900-9904
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Stage- and Species-Specific Developmental Toxicity of All-Trans Retinoic Acid in Four Native North American Ranids and Xenopus laevis.
S. J. Degitz, P. A. Kosian, E. A. Makynen, K. M. Jensen, and G. T. Ankley (2000)
Toxicol. Sci. 57, 264-274
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Morphological Clues from Multilegged Frogs: Are Retinoids to Blame?.
S. K. Sessions, R. A. Franssen, and V. L. Horner (1999)
Science 284, 800-802
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