Sun-loving frogs aid fungus fight (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Rebecca Morelle
Science reporter, BBC News

Sunbathing tree frogs may hold the key to understanding how a deadly fungus is wiping out amphibians around the world. The chytrid fungus has been implicated in many amphibian extinctions.

Now scientists are using non-invasive imaging technology to find out how some frogs from Central America may be able to beat this deadly disease.

They believe that the frogs' unusual skin is allowing the animals to bask in hot sunlight, possibly boosting their temperatures to kill off the fungus.

Most frogs avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight; the light and heat dry out their skin. However, some tree frogs from Costa Rica thrive in these conditions.

Andrew Gray, curator of herpetology at Manchester Museum who keeps a large collection of frogs from this area, said: "They sit in the Sun and bask for long periods without doing themselves any harm.



***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7464437.stm

[Schema Thing]

1. (pic) French Sunbather's Healthy Toenails