# Amphibian Commerce as a Likely Source of Pathogen Pollution



## rozdaboff (Feb 27, 2005)

Amphibian Commerce as a Likely Source of Pathogen Pollution.

_Picco AM, Collins JP.

School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4601, U.S.A.

The commercial trade of wildlife occurs on a global scale. In addition to removing animals from their native populations, this trade may lead to the release and subsequent introduction of nonindigenous species and the pathogens they carry. Emerging infectious diseases, such as chytridiomycosis caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and ranaviral disease have spread with global trade in amphibians and are linked to amphibian declines and die-offs worldwide, which suggests that the commercial trade in amphibians may be a source of pathogen pollution. We screened tiger salamanders involved in the bait trade in the western United States for both ranaviruses and Bd with polymerase chain reaction and used oral reports from bait shops and ranavirus DNA sequences from infected bait salamanders to determine how these animals and their pathogens are moved geographically by commerce. In addition, we conducted 2 surveys of anglers to determine how often tiger salamanders are used as bait and how often they are released into fishing waters by anglers, and organized bait-shop surveys to determine whether tiger salamanders are released back into the wild after being housed in bait shops. Ranaviruses were detected in the tiger salamander bait trade in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, and Bd was detected in Arizona bait shops. Ranaviruses were spread geographically through the bait trade. All tiger salamanders in the bait trade were collected from the wild, and in general they moved east to west and north to south, bringing with them their multiple ranavirus strains. Finally, 26-73% of anglers used tiger salamanders as fishing bait, 26-67% of anglers released tiger salamanders bought as bait into fishing waters, and 4% of bait shops released tiger salamanders back into the wild after they were housed in shops with infected animals. The tiger salamander bait trade in the western United States is a useful model for understanding the consequences of the unregulated anthropogenic movement of amphibians and their pathogens through trade.
_

Picco AM, Collins JP. Amphibian Commerce as a Likely Source of Pathogen Pollution. Conserv Biol. 2008 Aug 19;. [Epub ahead of print]


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

interesting, did not know that tigers were used as fish bait!!


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## dom (Sep 23, 2007)

wow thats crazy :shock:


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## JJuchems (Feb 16, 2004)

I'm not surprised at all. Just think of all the salamanders fell off hooks, or body parts fell off during feeding. And don't forget boats carry pathogens too.


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## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

That is why you do not release non native species into the wild-- look at northern snakeheads being established in the Eastern US.

If we didn't release Xenopus or farm bullfrogs in non native SA, we wouldn't have had a chytrid issue.


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## *GREASER* (Apr 11, 2004)

Last year I would go to SUNY ALBANY and sit in on guest speaker lectures they had on fridays for bio students. It wasnt really open to the public but no one even really seemed to notice I was there and a friend of mine in the bio progrom told me to check them out in the first place. So one of the lectures was done by a guy who did a lot of research on the commercial trade of tiger salmanders and its role in spreading disease. It was really interesting. I dont remember his name now but this very well could have been the same guy.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

hey Greg,
good to have you back, post some pics of your trip when you get a chance!!


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## *GREASER* (Apr 11, 2004)

ha i never left man. It was gonna turn into a rushed thing and I wanted more time down there and have a little more $ for school. BUT I will be back either during xmas break or over the summer break. I would like take off for most if not all of my summer break.


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## Android1313 (Dec 15, 2006)

I cant figure out why anyone would want to use one as bait. 
I am an avid angler, and catch many fish, and I rarely use live baits. Two words here peeps: Floating Rapala!
I don't even use the night crawlers they have at the bait shops.
Its very easy to catch native crawlers and worms, instead of using non-native ones from shops, that will take over native areas, reduce leaf litter, and be detrimental to native populations.
1. Water your lawn.
2. Wait till almost dark.
3. Use dim flashlight to catch as many as you like.
Easy as 1 2 3.
If you still want to use salamanders as bait, catch them yourself at the location you plan to fish. 
~Å


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