Yet another coqui frog thread

[oink]

Try to envision an Alfred Hitchcock style coqui attack. Hundreds jump down your throat while you sleep?? Millions waiting for you in your car's back seat??

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[mella l]

I'm wondering if the fungus discussed below might be inadvertantly brought into Hawaii?

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18...iller.html

The fungus now decimating frog populations around the world does its damage by impairing the animals' ability to absorb electrolytes through their skin. This discovery may eventually lead to treatments that make the disease less lethal.

Biologists now generally agree that the fungal disease known as chytridiomycosis is responsible for the worldwide die-off of frogs that has caused a conservation crisis in recent years. However, the fungus affects only the outer layers of the skin, leaving few clues to why it is so lethal.

mella l

[PaulW]

As much as I dislike coquis, I hope the fungus isn't brought into Hawaii.
But maybe it or a variant can be used, some day, to control the frogs.

[Dave Smith]

Scientists have already tested the fungus and it does not affect the coqui.

BTW, before that there was a Puna nursery owner who was threatening to bring it here on his own.

[MarkP]

I am definitely not advocating doing anything illegal or without proper study, but keep in mind that there are no native amphibians in Hawaii. There is nothing here to protect from the fungus so that reduces the chances of unintended consequences.

I too had heard that coquis were not affected by the fungus.

[Dave Smith]

For anyone looking for a little more info on the fungus-coqui issue:

http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/...ocal04.txt

[emorata]

i've discovered some coqui's that are starting to get larger than a dime now....pretty scary that they are mixing it up wid the locals.....

Noel Morata
Check out my blog on puna at http://noelmorata.blogspot.com/

[PaulW]

Bigger than a dime? They've already gone way beyond that. I catch some as big as my thumb.

[Devany]

Dave,

Thanks that was a very informative article.

I agree, that "bringing in" anything is not wise unless it can be proved that it will not effect our ecology at all. I also think this is true in the case of the strawberry guava.

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[PaulW]

We're in luck, it has been proven for the strawberry guava.

"In 2005--following 15 years of research in Hawaii and Brazil--researchers with the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry concluded study of a scale insect as a potential agent to control the growth and spread of strawberry guava in Hawaii."