Species/Subspecies: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
Category: Animal pathogen
Etymology: Genus name: earthen pot frog.
Species epithet: from the genus of frogs (Dendrobates) that this fungi was first isolated from.
Common name: Brukar kallas bara Bd eftersom det vetenskapliga namnet är något komplicerat.
Significance:The emerging disease chytridiomycosis caused by B. dendrobatidis is considered to be the main cause of declines in amphibian populations in many areas of the world and also extinction in some areas. B. dendrobatidis has been found in Sweden.
  [Very important]   
Taxonomy:
PhylumClassOrderFamilyGenus
ChytridiomycotaChytridiomycetesRhizophydiales"Incertae sedis"Batrachochytrium
 "Incertae sedis" means that the taxonomic affiliation has not been established.
Macromorphology (smell):
Micromorphology: The zoospores are oval or spheric and 3-5 µm in diameter with a single posterior flagellum, which is about 20 µm long. The zoosporangia are flask shaped and about 5 µm in length.
Metabolism: Chytridomycetes are often facultatively anaerobic and can ferment glucose to lactic acid.
Reproduction:Denna svamp har två livsstadier, ett fastsittande och asexuellt reproducerande zoosporangium samt ett rörligt stadium, som utgörs av rörliga s.k. zoosporer, vilka bär på en flagell.
Spec. Char.: B. dendrobatidis can grow at temperatures between 4 and 25 °C, but optimal is 17-25 °C.
Disease/effect:
Hosts/substrateDisease/effectClinical picture or result
Amphibians (some species seem, however, to be resistant)Chytridiomycosis in amphibiansInfected animals will get anorexia and become lethargic. After some time the skin will thicken and be lost, which results in death of the affected animal, since they cannot respire through the skin or maintain a physiological water/salt balance.
Genome Sequence:
ACC-No GenBankStrain/Isolate# of chromSize (Mbp)
GCF_000203795 JAM81  24.1 
18S rRNA Seq:
ACC-No GenBankStrain/IsolateNumber of NT
AH009052 JEL197 1733 

ITS regions:
ACC-No GenBankStrain/IsolateNumber of NTGenes
NC_119535 JEL 197RM 476 ITS 1, 5.8S rRNA, ITS 2 

Taxonomy/phylogeny: One more species has been described within the genus, namely B. salamandrivorans, which causes chytridiomycosis in salamanders.
Legislation: In Sweden chytridiomycosis is a notifiable disease and should be reported to the Swedish Board of Acriculture.
Comment:Chytridiomycosis in amphibians can be regarded as a panzootic.

The disease can probably be spread by seabirds, crustaceans and human activities.

Reference(s): No. 7, 17, 33
Link: Batrachochytrium Genome Project
Updated:2022-06-22

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Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences