Disappearing frogs!
Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 7:27 pm
Read an interesting article from N.G magazine regarding the worlds disappearing frog population and a disturbing fact is one killer disease, Ranavirus (Rana is latin for frog) was discovered in britain in the 60's but was mainly confined to the south of G,B apparently up to the 80's. Its now endemic and has led to the loss of 4/5ths of British frog population.
Tough on the frogs I hear but what do we koi keepers care about the welfare of frogs! ------think again and worry!----------The virus evolved from a fish virus and started attacking amphibians frogs toads newts and now salamanders and turtles, even crayfish are now found to be carriers and victims of a related disease a fungus disease called Chytrid.
For the more technical minded the Ranaviruses are nucleocytoplasmic or large D.N.A viruses Ranavirus is one of five genera of viruses within the nucleocytoplasmic group, like the megalocytiviruses which are an emerging group of closely related ds D.N.A viruses these cause virulent systemic infections in a wide variety of wild and cultured fish both fresh and saltwater.They are still evolving and what goes around will surely come around.
Watch this space
Tough on the frogs I hear but what do we koi keepers care about the welfare of frogs! ------think again and worry!----------The virus evolved from a fish virus and started attacking amphibians frogs toads newts and now salamanders and turtles, even crayfish are now found to be carriers and victims of a related disease a fungus disease called Chytrid.
For the more technical minded the Ranaviruses are nucleocytoplasmic or large D.N.A viruses Ranavirus is one of five genera of viruses within the nucleocytoplasmic group, like the megalocytiviruses which are an emerging group of closely related ds D.N.A viruses these cause virulent systemic infections in a wide variety of wild and cultured fish both fresh and saltwater.They are still evolving and what goes around will surely come around.
Watch this space