Question

Although the highest amphibian species in the world are found in the Cordillera Vilcanota of Peru, their future existence is threatened due to the presence of the pathogenic _________.

Answer 1

The pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis causes chytridiomycosis and threatens amphibian populations worldwide. It was spread through the transportation of the African clawed frog and the global introduction of the North American bullfrog, which can carry the disease without succumbing to it.

Step-by-step explanation:

The future existence of the highest amphibian species in the world found in the Cordillera Vilcanota of Peru is threatened by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which causes the disease chytridiomycosis. This fungus has contributed to the global decline in amphibian species since the 1990s.

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is believed to be native to Africa and has been spread worldwide due to the transport of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, a commonly used laboratory and pet species.

Another vector for spreading the disease is the North American bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, which has been introduced globally as a food source. The bullfrog is known to survive infections by this fungus and can thereby act as a disease reservoir within freshwater ecosystems.