Advancing the study of microbial symbionts of amphibians and reptiles

Abstract

Amphibian and reptile microbiomes are important contributors to host health and ecosystem dynamics but understudied compared to microbiomes of other vertebrates. Through study of amphibian and reptile microbiomes, investigators can advance theory and practice in animal health, ecosystem function, conservation, and more. This special issue of Frontiers of Amphibian and Reptile Science features six publications in the field of amphibian and reptile microbiome research, and here, we highlight the contributions of these and other recent publications to four main areas of recent advancement in the field: 1) expanding “microbiome” beyond bacteria, 2) expanding study of host life-history stages and anatomical microbial habitats, 3) characterizing whole microbial communities, particularly in disease ecology studies, and 4) developing and implementing databases and bioinformatics tools. We also discuss several avenues for future research that would bring amphibians and reptiles to the forefront of microbiome research. With the continued implementation of classic culture-based and sequencing approaches paired with cutting-edge tools in vivo , in vitro , and in silico , herpetofauna microbiome research is poised for exciting growth in the near future.