IInvasive bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus (Anura: Ranidae) in the Paraná state, Southern Brazil: a summary of the species spread

Resumo

In this study, we summarize the available information about the invasion of the Lithobates catesbeianus in the Paraná state, Brazil, through search for published papers and inventory of the municipalities of the State that has active commercial frog farms. Occurrence of the L. catesbeianus in nature was recorded in eight studies and in 15 localities in the Paraná. We found a total of the 19 municipalities in the Paraná having commercial frog farms.The records of the L. catesbeianus invasions are relatively spread along of the Paraná. We encountered that from of the 15 records of the L. catesbeianus as invasive in 86.7% (or 13 from 15) of them were located at distances below 50km from the nearest municipality having frog farm, one were established at a distance of about 80km and one at a distance of approximately 130km from de nearest municipality having frog farm. These data suggest a consistent relationship of the occurrence of frog farms and the records of the invasions by L. catesbeianus along the geographic space of the Paraná state.