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USGS Finds Frog Fatality Culprit

Thousands of frog tadpoles, including critically endangered species, are dying from a new disease recently discovered by a USGS scientist. Since 2000, tadpole die-offs have been reported in Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Minnesota as a result of this new disease. The most devastating effect of this disease occurred during 2003 and when it killed nearly all of the thousands of tadpoles living in the last known breeding pond of the endangered Mississippi gopher frog. USGS scientist D. Earl Green is collaborating with scientists at the University of Virginia to classify and name the organism responsible for this disease. For more information, please contact Kathryn Converse at 608-270-2445, Carol Meteyer at 608-270-2462.


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