Etymologia: Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans

Figure

Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans [bə-trayʹ-koh-kitʺ-ri-um saʺ-la-man-dri-vo’rans]

Thumbnail of Basal infection in the skin of a fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra), characterized by extensive epidermal necrosis, presence of high numbers of intra-epithelial colonial chytrid thalli, and loss of epithelial integrity. Photo by A. Martel and F. Pasmans, courtesy Wikipedia.

Figure. Basal infection in skin of a fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) characterized by extensive epidermal necrosis, high numbers of intra-epithelial colonial chytrid thalli, and loss of epithelial integrity. Photo by A. Martel...

Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Figure) is a recently discovered fungus that kills amphibians. It is related toB. dendrobatidis, which also kills amphibians (from the Greek dendron, “tree,” and bates, “one who climbs,” referring to a genus of poison dart frogs). Batrachochytrium is derived from the Greek words batrachos, “frog,” and chytra, “earthen pot” (describing the structure that contains unreleased zoospores); salamandrivorans is from the Greek salamandra, “salamander,” and Latin vorans, “eating,” which refers to extensive skin destruction and rapid death in infected salamanders.