Study Reveals; Skin Eating Fungus can Annihilate Salamander

Researchers found out a fungus while examining the massive decline in Netherland’s fire salamanders.

The fungus which basically belongs to East Asia traveled all the way to Europe. The researchers suggest that Bs reached Europe with the help of imported amphibians.  It is originally from the family of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) .It was the chief reason behind the extinction of amphibians such as frogs, salamanders and toads. The fungus has nearly removed 40 percent of the amphibians in some particular areas.

An Martel, a researcher of Ghent University along with his colleagues analyzed around 5,000 species of amphibians.  They accumulated these species from four different continents. The chief purpose of this study is to discover the danger Bs infection create for amphibians.

The study revealed that Bs infection is extremely deadly for salamanders. They have killed a large amount of salamanders in the past several years. However, it is not that hazardous for other amphibians like frog, caecilians and toads. They are commonly found in the Eastern North America and Pacific Northwest.

An Martel, the lead author informed that majority of the species which interact with Bs die in a short time period of two weeks. The mortality rate in salamanders increase up to 99 percent soon after this infection.

Unfortunately, the experts have failed to form any obstacle in order to stop the growth of this fungus in Europe.

The report is published in October 31^st edition of Journal Science.