Trade in wild anurans vectors the urodelan pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans into Europe

Abstract

Pathogen pollution has caused dramatic losses of amphibian diversity on a global scale. The recently emerged chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans ( Bsal ) has been hypothesized to have its origin in Asian urodelan populations, from which it may have been introduced to Europe through the trade in live urodelans. We here show that Bsal is present on wild small-webbed fire-bellied toads ( Bombina microdeladigitora ) from Vietnam and on representatives of the same species that have recently been imported in Germany. This finding suggests that the installment of measures to mitigate the Bsal threat through the amphibian trade should not be limited to urodeles, but should equally take anurans into account.