Several infectious diseases are threatening amphibian species worldwide and have resulted in mass- mortality events across the globe. An emerging group of viral pathogens (ranaviruses) are documented to cause die-offs in amphibian populations worldwide, including in several regions of the U.S. Unfortunately, large gaps remain in our understanding of the distribution of this systemic pathogen in the U.S., including within the state...

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Global amphibian decline continues to be a great concern despite our increased understanding of the causes behind the observed patterns of the decline, such as habitat modification and infectious diseases. Although there is a large body of literature on the topic of amphibian infectious diseases, pathogen prevalence and distribution among entire communities of species in many regions remain poorly understood. In addition...

The Herpetology Department of the Sam Noble Museum was funded through grants from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) and Oklahoma City Zoo Conservation Action Now (CAN) to determine the presence and prevalence of the amphibian infectious disease Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (also know as Bd or chytrid) in Oklahoma. This project will be ongoing for three years and covers field research in multiple areas of the...

This Spring, the Siler Lab has been busy participating in local conferences. In February, Jessa Watters attended the Oklahoma Natural Resources Conference in Tulsa, OK, where she networked worked with state wildlife officials, and presented the following talk: Oklahoma Amphibian Infectious Disease Sampling: Preliminary Results and Future Recommendations.  In early April, undergraduates Liza Marhanka and Shelby McMillin presented posters at OU’s Undergraduate Research...

Oklahoma is home to 54 species of amphibians (31 species of frogs, 23 species of salamanders), a group of vertebrates shown to be highly susceptible to infectious pathogens, such as the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Bd has been documented in all states bordering Oklahoma, but little is known about Bd within Oklahoma. Previous studies sampled for Bd in four isolated sites spread...

In North America, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been present for at least the last half-century; however, infectious amphibian diseases have remained poorly studied through most of the Great Plains of the United States. In Oklahoma, Bd has been documented in wild populations only three times, with four counties surveyed. It is imperative that a greater portion of the state be surveyed to...

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Last weekend, Siler Lab members joined in with 350+ other participants from around the state to sample biodiversity along Lake Texoma at the OU Biological Station for Oklahoma BioBlitz! 2016.  There were a total of 19 herpetological species documented, with two notable venomous snakes caught by graduate students Nick Huron and Joey Brown.  Graduate students also led an evening night hike to look for...

The Sam Noble Museum had another fantastic Science in Action event last weekend, with booths run from all over the museum, campus and Oklahoma (highlights included the Oklahoma Biological Survey and the Museum of Osteology). The museum holds the event annually and it is a great opportunity for the general public to enjoy the galleries for FREE, learn about what types of research...

Cameron is currently teaching a two-week Field Herpetology course at the OU Biological Station on Lake Texoma.  He is joined by graduate TA Nick Huron and undergrad TAs Claire Winfrey and Elyse Ellsworth (all members of the Siler Lab).  The course covers herpetological taxonomy and biology, amphibian infectious diseases, and new research techniques like epithelial microbiome sampling and eDNA water sampling.  Students...