Complex origins indicate a potential bridgehead introduction of an emerging amphibian invader (Eleutherodactylus planirostris) in China

By

Hong, Yanhua
Wei, Ping-Fan
Lin, Zhiqiang
Du, Yuanbao
Chen, Shengnan
Han, Lixia
Zhang, Qing
Gu, Shimin
Tu, Weishan
Hu, Shengwei
Yuan, Zhiyong
Liu, Xuan

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

NeoBiota : advancing research on alien species and biological invasions

Volume

77

Pages

23--37

Subjects

Amphibian , biosecurity , bridgehead introduction , invasive species , phylogenetics

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sophia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.77.83205

 

Abstract

Identifying the origins of established alien species is important to prevent new introductions in the future. The greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris), native to Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands, has been widely introduced to the Caribbean, North and Central America, Oceania and Asia. This invasive alien amphibian was recently reported in Shenzhen, China, but the potential introduction sources remain poorly understood. Based on phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial 16S, COI and CYTB sequences, we detected a complex introduction origin of this species, which may be from Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, Panama and Florida, USA, all pointing to a bridgehead introduction. In addition, the nursery trade between the four countries or regions and mainland China from 2011 to 2020 was also significantly higher than other areas with less likelihood of introductions, which supported the molecular results. Our study provides the first genetic evidence of the potential sources of this emerging amphibian invader in mainland China, which may help develop alien species control strategies in the face of growing trade through globalization.