What is Chytrid Fungus?

The Amphibian Chytrid Fungus was discovered and named in the late 1990's and since then has been identified as the primary cause of amphibian population declines and extinction in Latin America, Australia and North America. There are many “chytrid” fungi known around the world, but most are decomposers of plant matter. Why a particular type of this fungus has become pathogenic to amphibians is not yet known.

The fungus has now been found on every continent except Antarctica and the earliest record from preserved frog specimens is from Africa in the 1930’s. It is well documented in Latin America, where amphibian die-offs have been noted since the mid-1980’s. The direct correlation of the arrival of chytrid fungus and loss of amphibian diversity was documented by Dr. Karen Lips, Southern Illinois University and colleagues. For more technical information on the fungus, click here.

Chytrid fungus invades the thin, permeable skin of amphibians and appears to kill them by interrupting their ability to regulate the movement of water and oxygen through their skin.

What is Chytrid Fungus?

Amphibian chytrid fungus moves about via motile spores that are easily carried into protected habitats such as national parks on the feet or feathers of birds, insects and frogs. The exact mode of spread has not been determined. The fungus is treatable in captivity using Itroconazole, a fungicide similar in chemical properties to Athlete’s Foot medication. Unfortunately, the disease is incurable in the wild, as fungicide cannot simply be sprayed into the rainforest.


Skin cross section of frog infected with chytrid fungus