CULP, C.E.*; FALKINHAM III, J.O.; BELDEN, L.K.; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: Identification of the natural bacterial microflora on the skin of Eastern newts and bullfrog tadpoles

Amphibian populations in several regions of the world appear to be declining due to infectious diseases. While many studies have attempted to identify the pathogens associated with specific declines, very few studies have attempted to identify the natural microflora that is present on the skin of amphibians. However, if we want to identify emerging, pathogenic organisms, baseline knowledge of the natural flora that colonizes healthy individuals is critical. In this study, we isolated the natural bacterial flora found on the skin of apparently healthy adult Eastern newts (Notophthalamus viridescens) and larval bullfrogs (Rana catesbieana) from natural field sites in Virginia. We identified 5 bacterial species from the newts and 5 from the bullfrogs. In a second study, we examined the bacterial community profiles from water at 6 different sites with newt populations. There were some differences in the bacterial communities at different sites and, as might be expected, the newts from each site tended to have a bacterial community on their skin that appeared to be a sub-set of the community present in the water in which they lived. This suggests that different freshwater habitats, even within a single region, might present different disease risks for the amphibians inhabiting them.