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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
FOREWORD

Common goals, different stages: the state of the ARTs for reptile and amphibian conservation

Simon Clulow A , John Clulow B , Ruth Marcec-Greaves C , Gina Della Togna D E and Natalie E. Calatayud F G A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Conservation Ecology & Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia.

B University of Newcastle, Conservation Biology Research Group, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.

C Honduras Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Center, Honduras.

D Universidad Interamericana de Panama, Direccion de Investigacion, Campus Central, Avenida Ricardo J. Alfaro, Panama City, Panama.

E Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, Panama.

F San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Beckman Center for Conservation Research, 15600 San Pasqual valley Road, Escondido, CA 92025, USA.

G Conservation Science Network, 24 Thomas Street, Mayfield, NSW 2304, Australia.

* Correspondence to: drncalatayud@gmail.com

Handling Editor: Ye Yuan

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 34(5) i-ix https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv34n5_FO
Published online: 11 March 2022

© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Amphibians and reptiles are highly threatened vertebrate taxa with large numbers of species threatened with extinction. With so many species at risk, conservation requires the efficient and cost-effective application of all the tools available so that as many species as possible are assisted. Biobanking of genetic material in genetic resource banks (GRBs) in combination with assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to retrieve live animals from stored materials are two powerful, complementary tools in the conservation toolbox for arresting and reversing biodiversity decline for both amphibians and reptiles. However, the degree of development of the ARTs and cryopreservation technologies differ markedly between these two groups. These differences are explained in part by different perceptions of the taxa, but also to differing reproductive anatomy and biology between the amphibians and reptiles. Artificial fertilisation with cryopreserved sperm is becoming a more widely developed and utilised technology for amphibians. However, in contrast, artificial insemination with production of live progeny has been reported in few reptiles, and while sperm have been successfully cryopreserved, there are still no reports of the production of live offspring generated from cryopreserved sperm. In both amphibians and reptiles, a focus on sperm cryopreservation and artificial fertilisation or artificial insemination has been at the expense of the development and application of more advanced technologies such as cryopreservation of the female germline and embryonic genome, or the use of sophisticated stem cell/primordial germ cell cryopreservation and transplantation approaches. This review accompanies the publication of ten papers on amphibians and twelve papers on reptiles reporting advances in ARTs and biobanking for the herpetological taxa.

Keywords: assisted reproduction, biobanking, biodiversity, cryopreservation, gametes, genome resource banks, herpetofauna, IVF.


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