Amphibians are the animal group that has the most threatened species. The loss and pollution of their habitats, climate change and emerging diseases such as chytridiomycosis and ranavirus are causing declines in amphibian populations worldwide. Brazil is the country with the greatest wealth of amphibian species in the world, where 1080 species of salamanders, cecilias, frogs, frogs and tree frogs distributed in different Brazilian biomes are registered.

This animal group has great ecological and social importance as they act in the balance of ecosystems feeding on species considered pests (example, yellow scorpion), producing substances in their skins that can become drugs for human health. In addition, they have characteristics such as permeable skin, gelatinous eggs and dependence on water for reproduction that make them excellent bioindicators of environmental quality.

Some amphibians may have morphological abnormalities, which are malformations or deformations in the animal’s body (for example, a missing eye or an extra limb). These abnormalities can arise through errors during the development of the organism or from traumatic events. Several causes are associated with morphological abnormalities in amphibians, the main ones being parasitic infections, UVB radiation, chemical contaminants and traumas (predation).

In a population of adult amphibians it is considered normal when the rate of individuals with morphological abnormalities does not exceed 5%. Locations that report a rate of amphibians with abnormalities greater than normal can be an indication that something is not in balance. For this reason, studies to learn about biodiversity and the factors that interfere in the survival of amphibians are of great importance to minimize impacts to populations and ecosystems.

Thaís Ascoli Morrete