Basking behavior as a defense against chytridiomycosis: disentangling the effects of temperature and radiation

Abstract

Basking behavior is one of the main mechanisms by which some ectothermic animals increase their body temperatures, exposing all or part of its body to direct sunlight. This behavior appears to confer advantages in many aspects of digestion, growth, reproduction, and control of pathogens, including the chytridiomycosis. Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) implicated in amphibian population declines throughout the world. Several studies proved that high temperatures have the potential to eliminate the chytrid fungus from infected frogs. However, whether the direct exposure to electromagnetic radiation, especially at wavelengths in the ultraviolet range (UV), has an impact on chytrid defense independent of the concurrent temperature elevation in basking species still remains unknown. Herein, we aim to disentangle the effects of temperature elevation and exposure to electromagnetic radiation in a basking anuran. (AU)