The salamander fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) is spreading in Europe and has the potential to invade North America. Gray et al. (2023) investigated how susceptible North American salamanders, newts, and sirens are to Bsal. They also infected some native and invasive species of frogs. The researchers found that a large portion (74%) of the species they tested could be infected, and over a third (35%) died from the infection, which included both salamanders and frogs. Newts (Salamandridae) and lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) were among the most vulnerable salamander families, confirming earlier findings (Martel et al. 2014). The findings suggest that Bsal could cause significant salamander die-offs, particularly in the Appalachian region and along the West Coast of the United States. Larval stages (e.g., Eurycea bislineata) were infected as well. Sadly, the study predicts that over 80 salamander species in the US and 140 in all of North America could be lost due to Bsal. Of great concern, Bsal infected two species that frequently occur in the pet trade in the experiments, suggesting these species could be reservoirs of Bsal or could bring Bsal when imported from countries were Bsal occurs; one of them (Osteopilus septentrionalis) is invasive in Florida and has spread to South Carolina, further increasing the threat of disease spread should Bsal arrive to the US.

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