Mertensiella luschani (Steindachner, 1891) - Lykischer Salamander , Kleinasiatischer Salamander

Steinfartz S, Mutz T. Mertensiella luschani (Steindachner, 1891) - Lykischer Salamander , Kleinasiatischer Salamander. In: Grossenbacher K, Thiesmeier B, eds. Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Vol. 4/1: Schwanzlurche. Wiesbaden; 1998: 367-397

Mertensiella - Kleinasiatische Salamander

Franzen M, Steinfartz S. Mertensiella - Kleinasiatische Salamander. In: Grossenbacher K, Thiesmeier B, eds. Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Vol 4/1: Schwanzlurche. Wiesbaden: Akad. Verl.-Ges.; 1999: 323-328

More yellow more toxic? Sex rather than alkaloid content is correlated with yellow coloration in the fire salamander

Preißler K, Gippner S, Lüddecke T, et al. More yellow more toxic? Sex rather than alkaloid content is correlated with yellow coloration in the fire salamander. Journal of Zoology. 2019;308(4):293-300

Quantifying the burden of managing wildlife diseases in multiple host species

Mitigation of infectious wildlife diseases is especially challenging where pathogens affect communities of multiple host species. Although most ecological studies recognize the challenge posed by multiple-species pathogens, the implications for management are typically assessed only qualitatively. Translating the intuitive understanding that multiple host species are important into practice requires a quantitative assessment of whether and how secondary host species should also be targeted by management and the effort this will require. Using a multiple-species compartmental model, we determined analytically whether and how intensively secondary host species should be managed to prevent outbreaks in focal hosts based on the reproduction number of individual host species and between-species transmission rates. We applied the model to the invasive pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in a 2-host system in northern Europe. Avoiding a disease outbreak in the focal host (fire salamanders [Salamandra salamandra]) was impossible unless management also heavily targeted the secondary host (alpine newts [Ichthyosaura alpestris]). Preventing an outbreak in the community required targeted removal of at least 80% of each species. This proportion increased to 90% in the presence of an environmental reservoir of B. salamandrivorans and when the proportion of individuals removed could not be adjusted for different host species (e.g., when using traps that are not species specific). We recommend the focus of disease-mitigation plans should shift from focal species to the community level and calculate explicitly the management efforts required on secondary host species to move beyond the simple intuitive understanding that multiple host species may all influence the system. Failure to do so may lead to underestimating the magnitude of the effort required and ultimately to suboptimal or futile management attempts

There is no place like home: Larval habitat type and size affect risk-taking behaviour in fire salamander larvae (Salamandra salamandra)

Individual life histories are strongly influenced by early environmental conditions and experiences. They shape morphology as well as behaviour and can promote adaptive divergence and phenotypic plasticity with regard to different habitat types. The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) in the Kottenforst forest in Bonn, Germany, exhibits two genetically distinct ecotypes occurring in two larval habitats, either ponds or streams. In this study, we investigated whether both ecotypes differ in risk-taking behaviour, measured as the behavioural response during a shelter-emergence test and a shelter-seeking test, and whether larval habitat type and size impact these behaviours. Our results revealed an influence of size as well as habitat type. Larger larvae of both habitats appear to be more risk-prone, as they spent more time outside the starting shelter in the shelter-emergence test. Irrespective of size, pond larvae sought shelter more often in the shelter-seeking test and are thus considered to be less risk-prone. These results indicate that larvae conform to a given niche by adjusting their behaviour. Future studies are needed to disentangle the role of genetic adaptation or phenotypic plasticity and to investigate long-term consequences of the larval habitat for the adult phenotype. Thereby, efforts should be made to create a concise set of multiple tests assessing behavioural patterns

Isolation and characterization of polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the Fire salamander Salamandra salamandra (Amphibia : Caudata)

Steinfartz S, Kusters D, Tautz D. Isolation and characterization of polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the Fire salamander Salamandra salamandra (Amphibia : Caudata). Molecular Ecology Notes. 2004;4(4):626-628.Ten tetranucleotide and one dinucleotide polymorphic microsatellite loci were cloned and characterized for the Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) from 34 populations in Germany. A high genetic diversity (5-22 alleles per locus) and heterozygosity (40.6-95.2%) were observed for these markers. Chord distances for population comparisons of the western evolutionary recolonization lineage in the area near Cologne ranged from 0.139 to 0.366, whereas population comparisons between the western and eastern lineage ranged from 0.541 to 0.670. When compared with classical isolation methods, a sufficient number of polymorphic microsatellites can be obtained for the Fire salamander only from specially enriched sublibraries