First record of the pandemic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in wild amphibians of the Mauritius Island

Abstract

Mauritius hosts two established non-native amphibian species: the Mascarene Grass Frog (Ptychadena mascareniensis) and the Guttural Toad (Sclerophrys gutturalis). In this study, we screened individuals of both species for the presence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), and Ranavirus (Rv). Our results showed no evidence of Rv or Bsal, but Bd was detected with low to moderate infection loads. None of the sampled individuals exhibited clinical signs of chytridiomycosis. Despite the extensive global research on Bd, this study represents the first report of this fungus in amphibian populations in Mauritius.