Ex situ diet influences the bacterial community associated with the skin of red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas).

ABSTRACT: Amphibians support symbiotic bacterial communities on their skin that protect against a range of infectious pathogens, including the amphibian chytrid fungus. The conditions under which amphibians are maintained in captivity (e.g. diet, substrate, enrichment) in ex situ conservation programmes may affect the composition of the bacterial community. In addition, ex situ amphibian populations may support different bacterial communities in comparison to in situ populations of the same species. This could have implications for the suitability of populations intended for reintroduction, as well as the success of probiotic bacterial inoculations intended to provide amphibians with a bacterial community that resists invasion by the chytrid fungus. We aimed to investigate the effect of a carotenoid

SUBMITTER: Antwis RE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3887054 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature