Our indigenous amphibian populations are threatened not only by loss of habitat, invasive species , environmental pollutants and road traffic, but also by infectious diseases like the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatis/Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans , Ranavirus or Ranid-Herpesvirus.
Often it is quite challenging to discern presence of a pathogen in wild animal populations in real time. There is only a short period in spring during migration, when we get to easily see amphibians,due to their cryptic life style throughout the rest of the year. Offspring of a given year will only return to the spawning pond with 3-4 year delay, after reaching sexual maturity.  So whenever the population has been decimated by a pathogen, we'll only find out about this fact with a several year delay and way too late for a causal investigation.
That makes it so important to diagnose a pathogen in real time within the same season. This allows for opportune implementation of Hygiene-/Biosecurity-Measures to prevent carryover of diseased animals  and to start a targeted monitoring.
Typical symptoms of disease include, wax-drop like, gray plaques on the skin, reddish spots/hemorrhages, emaciation, skin necrosis/holes.


Bsal etc. identification: