Causes of mortality in anuran amphibians from an ex situ survival assurance colony in Panama. Issue 6 (25th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pessier, Allan P.; Baitchman, Eric J.; Crump, Paul; Wilson, Brad; Griffith, Edgardo; Ross, Heidi
• Is Part Of: Zoo biology. Volume 33:Issue 6(2014)
• Page Start: 516
• Page End: 526
• Publication Date: 2014-09-25
• Subjects: Zoo animals -- Periodicals; 591
• DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21166
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0733-3188

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="zoo21166-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>The success of <italic>ex situ</italic> survival assurance populations as tools for amphibian conservation depends on the health and reproductive success of founder populations. Necropsy examination and histopathology of animals that die in assurance populations are useful for the identification of population‐limiting disease problems and can help to direct applied research efforts in areas such as amphibian husbandry and nutrition. This study reviewed postmortem findings in 167 frogs from 13 species that died in a large Panamanian rescue and survival assurance population between 2006 and 2011. Common problems identified in long‐term captive animals, especially in <italic>Atelopus</italic> species, were epithelial squamous metaplasia suggestive of vitamin A deficiency and a polycystic nephropathy resembling lesions seen in laboratory animals with electrolyte imbalances. Metabolic bone disease was a significant contributor to morbidity in captive‐bred juvenile frogs of <italic>Gastrotheca cornuta</italic>, <italic>Hemiphractus fasciatus</italic>, and <italic>Hylomantis lemur</italic>. Findings common to multiple species included poor overall nutritional condition that was sometimes attributable to maladaptation to captive husbandry and epidermal hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis possibly reflecting environmental skin irritation. Infectious diseases and endoparasitism were most common in recently captured animals and included chytridiomycosis and <italic>Rhabdias</italic> sp. lungworms. Applied research efforts to improve sustainability of survival assurance populations should focus on elucidating optimal husbandry practices for diverse species, improving methods for nutritional supplementation of cultured insects and examination of the role of water composition in disease development. Zoo Biol. 33:516–526, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>