Amphibian fungal panzootic causes catastrophic and ongoing loss of biodiversity

Ben C. Scheele; Frank Pasmans; Lee F. Skerratt; Lee Berger; An Martel; Wouter Beukema; Aldemar A. Acevedo; Patricia A. Burrowes; Tamilie Carvalho; Alessandro Catenazzi; Ignacio De la Riva; Matthew C. Fisher; Sandra V. Flechas; Claire N. Foster; Patricia Frías-Álvarez; Trenton W. J. Garner; Brian Gratwicke; Juan M. Guayasamin; Mareike Hirschfeld; Jonathan E. Kolby; Tiffany A. Kosch; Enrique La Marca; David B. Lindenmayer; Karen R. Lips; Ana V. Longo; Raúl Maneyro; Cait A. McDonald; Joseph Mendelson; Pablo Palacios-Rodriguez; Gabriela Parra-Olea; Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki; Mark-Oliver Rödel; Sean M. Rovito; Claudio Soto-Azat; Luís Felipe Toledo; Jamie Voyles; Ché Weldon; Steven M. Whitfield; Mark Wilkinson; Kelly R. Zamudio; Stefano Canessa

doi:10.1126/science.aav0379

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Amphibian fungal panzootic causes catastrophic and ongoing loss of biodiversity

Ben C. Scheele¹,²,³,*,
Frank Pasmans⁴,
Lee F. Skerratt³,
Lee Berger³,
An Martel⁴,
Wouter Beukema⁴,
Aldemar A. Acevedo⁵,⁶,
Patricia A. Burrowes⁷,
Tamilie Carvalho⁸,
Alessandro Catenazzi⁹,
Ignacio De la Riva¹⁰,
Matthew C. Fisher¹¹,
Sandra V. Flechas¹²,¹³,
Claire N. Foster¹,
Patricia Frías-Álvarez³,
Trenton W. J. Garner¹⁴,¹⁵,
Brian Gratwicke¹⁶,
Juan M. Guayasamin¹⁷,¹⁸,¹⁹,
Mareike Hirschfeld²⁰,
Jonathan E. Kolby³,²¹,²²,
Tiffany A. Kosch³,²³,
Enrique La Marca²⁴,
David B. Lindenmayer¹,²,
Karen R. Lips²⁵,
Ana V. Longo²⁶,
Raúl Maneyro²⁷,
Cait A. McDonald²⁸,
Joseph Mendelson III²⁹,³⁰,
Pablo Palacios-Rodriguez¹²,
Gabriela Parra-Olea³¹,
Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki³²,
Mark-Oliver Rödel²⁰,
Sean M. Rovito³³,
Claudio Soto-Azat³⁴,
Luís Felipe Toledo⁸,
Jamie Voyles³⁵,
Ché Weldon¹⁵,
Steven M. Whitfield³⁶,³⁷,
Mark Wilkinson³⁸,
Kelly R. Zamudio²⁸,
Stefano Canessa⁴

¹Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
²National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
³One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.
⁴Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
⁵Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.
⁶Grupo de Investigación en Ecología y Biogeografía, Universidad de Pamplona, Barrio El Buque, Km 1, Vía a Bucaramanga, Pamplona, Colombia.
⁷Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
⁸Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
⁹Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
¹⁰Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid 28006, Spain.
¹¹MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK.
¹²Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
¹³Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Sede Venado de Oro, Paseo Bolívar 16-20, Bogotá, Colombia.
¹⁴Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.
¹⁵Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.
¹⁶Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA.
¹⁷Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Ambientales BIOSFERA, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Campus Cumbayá, Quito, Ecuador.
¹⁸Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb), Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático, Facultad de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Calle Machala y Sabanilla, Quito, Ecuador.
¹⁹Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
²⁰Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstr. 43, Berlin 10115, Germany.
²¹Honduras Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Center, Lancetilla Botanical Garden and Research Center, Tela, Honduras.
²²The Conservation Agency, Jamestown, RI 02835, USA.
²³AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
²⁴School of Geography, Faculty of Forestry Engineering and Environmental Sciences, University of Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela.
²⁵Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
²⁶Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
²⁷Laboratorio de Sistemática e Historia Natural de Vertebrados. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República. Igua 4225, CP 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay.
²⁸Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
²⁹Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA.
³⁰School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
³¹Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México.
³²Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
³³Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Irapuato, Guanajuato CP36824, México.
³⁴Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile.
³⁵Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
³⁶Zoo Miami, Conservation and Research Department, Miami, FL 33177, USA.
³⁷Florida International University School of Earth, Environment, and Society, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA.
³⁸Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK.

↵*Corresponding author. Email: ben.scheele{at}anu.edu.au

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Science 29 Mar 2019:
Vol. 363, Issue 6434, pp. 1459-1463
DOI: 10.1126/science.aav0379

Ben C. Scheele

Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.National Environmental Science Programme, Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.

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For correspondence: ben.scheele@anu.edu.au

Frank Pasmans

Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.

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Lee F. Skerratt

One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.

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Lee Berger

One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.

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An Martel

Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.

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Wouter Beukema

Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.

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Aldemar A. Acevedo

Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile.Grupo de Investigación en Ecología y Biogeografía, Universidad de Pamplona, Barrio El Buque, Km 1, Vía a Bucaramanga, Pamplona, Colombia.

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Patricia A. Burrowes

Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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Tamilie Carvalho

Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.

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Alessandro Catenazzi

Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.

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Ignacio De la Riva

Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid 28006, Spain.

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Matthew C. Fisher

MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK.

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Sandra V. Flechas

Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Sede Venado de Oro, Paseo Bolívar 16-20, Bogotá, Colombia.

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Claire N. Foster

Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

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Patricia Frías-Álvarez

One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.

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Trenton W. J. Garner

Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.

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Brian Gratwicke

Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA.

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Juan M. Guayasamin

Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Ambientales BIOSFERA, Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva, Campus Cumbayá, Quito, Ecuador.Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb), Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático, Facultad de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Calle Machala y Sabanilla, Quito, Ecuador.Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.

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Mareike Hirschfeld

Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstr. 43, Berlin 10115, Germany.

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Jonathan E. Kolby

One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.Honduras Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Center, Lancetilla Botanical Garden and Research Center, Tela, Honduras.The Conservation Agency, Jamestown, RI 02835, USA.

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Tiffany A. Kosch

One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.

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Enrique La Marca

School of Geography, Faculty of Forestry Engineering and Environmental Sciences, University of Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela.

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David B. Lindenmayer

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Karen R. Lips

Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.

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Ana V. Longo

Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.

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Raúl Maneyro

Laboratorio de Sistemática e Historia Natural de Vertebrados. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República. Igua 4225, CP 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay.

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Cait A. McDonald

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

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Joseph Mendelson

Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA.School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.

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Pablo Palacios-Rodriguez

Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.

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Gabriela Parra-Olea

Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México.

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Corinne L. Richards-Zawacki

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.

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Mark-Oliver Rödel

Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstr. 43, Berlin 10115, Germany.

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Sean M. Rovito

Unidad de Genómica Avanzada (Langebio), Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, km 9.6 Libramiento Norte Carretera Irapuato-León, Irapuato, Guanajuato CP36824, México.

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Claudio Soto-Azat

Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370251, Chile.

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Luís Felipe Toledo

Laboratório de História Natural de Anfíbios Brasileiros (LaHNAB), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.

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Jamie Voyles

Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA.

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Ché Weldon

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.

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Steven M. Whitfield

Zoo Miami, Conservation and Research Department, Miami, FL 33177, USA.Florida International University School of Earth, Environment, and Society, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199, USA.

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Mark Wilkinson

Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK.

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Kelly R. Zamudio

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

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Stefano Canessa

Wildlife Health Ghent, Department of Pathology, Bacteriology, and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.

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RE: Amphibian loss inWestern Oregon U.S.A.
- Dan Okrasinski, interested citizen, n/a
(5 April 2019)

Has any research been done to frog loss in my area or western Oregon. Anecdotally we have heard loud frog chorus's in our wetland area near creeks and small streams. For the past several years this spring time ritual has not been heard at all. I am not qualified to identify these frogs but they may be Pacific tree frogs ranadae ?

Competing Interests: None declared.

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Amphibian fungal panzootic causes catastrophic and ongoing loss of biodiversity

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