30 Amphibian Species Wiped Out in Panama Forest

[Kurt]

Is it prevalent in North America?

It is in California, where it is playing havoc with the mountain yellow-legged frog, Rana muscosa. The other two hot spots are Central America and Australia.

[KennyDB]

Researchers found it in populations in the Netherlands and Belgium to :-(

[Jace]

Wow. I didn't realize it was in as many places as it is. It's only been in the last year or so that I have really heard about it, but I don't know the history behind it. I remember an article I read near the beginning that made it sound like only tadpoles were truly affected, but I know now that is not true. This may be a really dumb question, but what do you mean by "Old World" amphibians? Are newts and salamanders equally affected (I don't hear about them much in such articles...)?

[Kurt]

The Old World would be Europe, Africa, and Asia. The term is based on European perceptions of the world around starting with Columbus' "discovery" of the New World (the Americas). I believe Australasia is also considered the Old World as well.

Chytridiomycosis effects salamanders as well, though it is more widely known amongst frogs, which out-number all other amphibian orders and are not as secretive as the other two amphibian orders, Caudata amd Gymnophonia.