Authors: Gabriella Proctor, Luke Alder
Mentors: Marcos Corchando Sonera
Insitution: Southern Utah University
The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is known to cause the disease chytridiomycosis and is notorious for its role in decimating anuran populations worldwide. A highly prevalent invasive species, the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), is understood to play an important role in the transmission of this disease in invaded regions. Notably, American bullfrogs are often largely immune to the effects of Bd, making them important reservoirs of the pathogen. Within southern Utah, this species has successfully invaded the Virgin River watershed, yet this population has not been the subject of prior study regarding its potential as a reservoir for Bd. We hypothesize that the Utah population has also been infected with Bd, potentially endangering native amphibian species. We sampled 46 bullfrog specimens from eight distinct aquatic habitats within the Virgin River basin in southwest Utah. Skin swabs will undergo purification and quantification, followed by PCR and gel electrophoresis to visualize and confirm results. We hope that our findings will be valuable in comprehending the impact of invasive American bullfrogs on amphibians within the Colorado River basin, particularly in relation to the spread and effects of chytridiomycosis.