Emerging infectious diseases threaten wildlife globally, yet standard surveillance often relies on lethal sampling, an approach that can conflict with conservation priorities. The recognised threat of Ranavirus ( Rv ) to amphibian populations exemplifies this challenge, highlighting the urgent need for refined, non-lethal surveillance methods. Using a stepwise approach, we conducted four sequential experiments spanning laborat...

We developed and validated two species-specific eDNA assays for the locally endangered yellow-bellied toad ( Bombina variegata ) and the red-bellied toad ( B. bombina ) with comprehensive in silico, in vitro, and in vivo testing. We evaluated assay performance on field samples using single-species qPCR and High-Throughput qPCR (HT-qPCR) on a Biomark HD system with different master mix chemistries. Analytical workflow significa...

Hornbills (Bucerotidae) and ground-hornbills (Bucorvidae) are families of birds found in Asia and Africa. At least 29 species are considered Near Threatened or above by the IUCN, with hunting for trade being the main threat to these birds. As many species have a unique feature on the top of their beaks called a casque, they are most commonly legally or illegally traded for their skulls or, in the case of the Helmeted Hornbill...

We present novel genetic data for the rare deep-water shark Pseudotriakis microdon , including sequences for COI, 16S rRNA, NADH2, and nuclear ITS2 from specimens sampled in the North Atlantic Ocean. These data, combined with all publicly available sequences, reveal clear genetic structuring: Atlantic and Indian Ocean populations form a cluster clearly separated from West Pacific individuals. The ITS2 marker, previously unrepo...