| dc.description.abstract | Recent research of frog skin microbiota were mainly focused on presence of pathogens, especially
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, as well as on describing the bacterial communities on their skin. e
specialized amphibian lifestyle where frogs’ skin is in intimate contact with the environment is of primary
importance in determining frogs’ resilience to external factors. Cutaneous microbiota is thus an indicator of
both frog health as well as of environmental factors acting upon frogs. Many of these factors can be
detrimental to frog fitness and it is expected that the first changes in frog fitness could be assessed by
identifying the changes in diversity patterns of frog’s skin epibiotic communities and/or isolating specific
pathogens. Knowledge of these communities and patterns could contribute to more efficient conservation.
Epibiotic communities of the green frog complex (Pelophylax esculenta complex), sampled on three localities
in South Banat, Serbia (Stevanove Ravnice, Jaruga canal, DanubeTisaDanube
Canal) were investigated
using culture depended methods and microscopy techniques. Samples were collected using three sampling
methods: 1) scraping by toothbrush for algal sample 2) swabbing with sterile cotton swabs for fungal sample
and 3) nonaggressive adhesive tape method for both algal and fungal sample. e aim of this research was
describing fungal and algal communities present on frogs’ skin. Culture based methods showed high
diversity of airand
soilborne
fungi (members of genera Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Bionectria,
Bipolaris, Botrytis, Cladosporim, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Ulocladium, to name a few),
which could be considered transients. However, microscopy techniques revealed spore germination, mycelia
formation and sporulation directly on frog skin, of some typical soilborne
fungi eg. Fonseceae sp., causative
agent of amphibian chromomycoses as well as human phaeohyphomycosis. Microscopy analyses of samples
taken or scraped from amphibians’ skin showed the presence of morphological structures belonging to
aeroaquatic hyphomycetes (eg. Canalisporium sp.) and stramenopiles, as well as high abundance of diatoms.
Presence of c. 40 diatom genera was observed with dominance of mostly ubiquitous eurivalent species found
in highly eutrophic waters (members of genera Amphora, Craticula, Cymbella, Cymbopleura, Cymatopleura,
Diploneis, Encyonema, Epithemia, Fallacia, Gomphonema, Luticola, Navicula, Neidium, Nitzschia, Pinnularia,
Planothidium, Rhopalodia, Staurosira and Surirella). Investigation of microbial communities on frog skin is of great importance due to potential detection of
novel amphibian pathogens, and also can lead to better understanding of amphibianmicrobial
interactions,
which in further researches can be used as effective tool in amphibian protection. | sr |
