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Enigmatic cysts discovered in a population of European salamanders
  • +6
  • Raoul Manenti,
  • Silvia Mercurio,
  • Andrea Melotto,
  • Benedetta Barzaghi,
  • Sara Epis,
  • Marco Tecilla,
  • Roberta Pennati,
  • Giorgio Scarì,
  • Gentile Francesco Ficetola
Raoul Manenti
Universita degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Bioscienze

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Silvia Mercurio
Universita degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Bioscienze
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Andrea Melotto
Stellenbosch University Department of Botany and Zoology
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Benedetta Barzaghi
Universita degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Bioscienze
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Sara Epis
Universita degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Bioscienze
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Marco Tecilla
Universita degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Bioscienze
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Roberta Pennati
Universita degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Bioscienze
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Giorgio Scarì
Universita degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Bioscienze
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Gentile Francesco Ficetola
Universita degli Studi di Milano Dipartimento di Bioscienze
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Abstract

New pathologies are causing dramatic declines and extinctions of multiple amphibian species. In 2013, we found fire salamanders with undescribed cysts at the throat level in one population in Northern Italy, which existence is not reported in amphibians yet. With the aim of describing this novel phenomenon, we performed repeated surveys to assess the frequency of affected salamanders from 2014 to 2020, and integrated morphological, histological and molecular analyses. Cysts affected up to 22 % of salamanders of the study population and started spreading to nearby populations. Cysts are formed by mucus surrounding cells about 10 μm long, characterized by numerous undulipodia. Morphological and genetic analyses did not yield a clear match with any described organism or salamander cell. The occurrence of these cysts calls for more studies on the origin and impact on wild populations.