Frog News compiled by SAVE THE FROGS! Volunteer Kristin Womack

“I have lived in Scotts Valley since 1967. As a kid I spent a lot of time exploring the fields, forests, and wetlands of my home. Back then you couldn’t walk ten yards across a field without encountering a garter snake or two. There were small ponds and swampy areas all around that were just full of frogs and snakes and stuff. It was a really great place to grow up and through my early curiosity in all things cold-blooded I developed a real appreciation for and interest in snakes and frogs. The reason I am writing now is that for the first time I can remember, when I open my window at night I can not here a single frog…not one…all year.

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A new species of limbless amphibian Ichthyophis davidi from the
bordering districts of Goa and Karnataka states of Western Ghats

In a joint effort by the researchers Dr. Gopalakrishna Bhatta of Department of Biology, BASE Educational Services Pvt. Ltd, Bengaluru; Dr. K.P. Dinesh and Dr. C. Radhakrishnan of Western Ghats Regional Centre, Calicut; Mr. P. Prashanth of Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, Agumbe and Mr. Nirmal U Kulkarni of Mhadei Research Centre, Chorla Ghats have discovered a new species of limbless yellow striped caecilian from the Belgaum district of Karnataka which is part of the Western Ghats of India.
The new species Ichthyophis davidi is one of the largest known yellow striped caecilian from Western Ghats and is named in honor of Dr. David Gower, Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, London in recognition of his contributions to Indian caecilian studies. The common name suggested for the species is Chorla Giant striped Ichthyophis.

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The Memphis Zoo is seeking a post-doctoral fellow who will be responsible for conducting research on salamander reproductive physiology, under the general direction of the Director of Research and Conservation at the Memphis Zoo. The candidate will work on several different threatened and common species of salamanders during the two (2) year post-doctoral fellowship and will be located at Mississippi State University (MSU) as part of a multi-institutional effort. The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will be hosting the candidate and the applicant will be co-supervised by the department chair. Research work may include the development of novel hormone protocols for sperm production and ovulation, in-vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, cryopreservation of gametes and in general improving reproductive output within captive assurance colonies. 

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We are currently trying to find good candidates for a postdoc position focused on the landscape ecology/epidemiology of amphibian deformities. This position is jointly sponsored by the University of Colorado and the USFWS and will primarily involve analyses of a large-scale, long-term database on amphibian abnormalities. This would be a great opportunity for a motivated individual with the right set of skills in landscape ecology and epidemiology. I wanted to pass this your way in case you knew of any good candidates who might be interested. It would need to be someone who can work at the interface between disciplines so I can be a bit flexible on background requirements. (more…)

Known to the state of California to cause cancer and/or reproductive defects, Methyl Iodide is a harmful pesticide currently approved for use on strawberries. In Santa Cruz County, these strawberry fields surround the last remaining habitat of the Santa Cruz Long-Toed Salamander, one of the world’s most endangered salamanders. Read SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger’s letter to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors asking them to ban methyl iodide.

Download this hour long radio interview of SAVE THE FROGS! Founder Dr. Kerry Kriger on Food Integrity Now, discussing Atrazine, frog legs, chytrid fungus, dissections, politics and more. Listen to lots of other interviews at:

http://savethefrogs.com/audio/#interviews

Want to help SAVE THE FROGS! get the gear we need to do our jobs as efficiently and safely as possible? Please have a look at our brand new Wish List webpage. Thanks in advance for helping us SAVE THE FROGS!

THIS JOB IS NOW CLOSED

A field technician position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Emily Moriarty Lemmon at Florida State University beginning early January through mid-March 2012 to help in the study of female choice and population variation in chorus frogs (Pseudacris). The technician will travel with a team throughout the southeastern USA (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia) to assist in collecting specimens and performing female choice tests. Working conditions will often times be rainy and cold, and the technician will be expected to camp for significant periods of time. Preference will be giving to those applicants with extensive field experience. (more…)

Ph.D. Opportunity with the Amphibian Research Group at the University of Newcastle
We are seeking a PhD student to conduct a research project within the Amphibian Research Group at the University of Newcastle, under the supervision of Prof. Michael Mahony and Dr John Clulow. The prospective student will join a large and dedicated team of scientists and students working in the fields of amphibian ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation. Funding is available for the following project:

Investigations into the factors limiting green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) survival
The green and golden bell frog has undergone a widespread range contraction over the past 30 years and is now considered endangered in NSW and threatened nationally. Currently this species persists in less than 10% of its former range in a series of highly isolated sites dotted along the eastern Australian coastline. (more…)