For bullfrogs, the extensive alveolate parasite in -fections suggest that they likely had a stronger role
than other potential pathogens in the mortality event,
although it was impossible to identify the parasites as
primary pathogens given the co-occurrence of FV3-like ranavirus in some specimens. Possibly, due to
their age or parasite tolerance, older bullfrogs were
the most intensely infected species. Bullfrog tadpoles
had hatched the previous summer, whereas leopard
and gopher frog tadpoles were less than 3 mo old in
April. It was not clear whether smaller, younger
gopher frog tadpoles were affected; if so, they might
have been overlooked due to sinking and rapid
decomposition. The high incidence of spore infections in bullfrogs with homogeneously mature stages
in multiple organs, especially in the liver tissue, supports previous reports (Green et al. 2003, Davis et al.
2007, Cook 2008, 2009). Gahl (2007) also found infections during the summer in Maine, when larvae were
nearing metamorphosis