Image copyrightJONATHAN E. KOLBY, HONDURAS AMPHIBIAN RESCUE & CON

A fungus that kills amphibians is responsible for the biggest documented loss of nature from a single disease, say researchers.

Better biosecurity and wildlife trade restrictions are urgently needed to prevent any more extinctions, they say.

The disease, chytridiomycosis, has caused mass die-offs in frogs, toads and salamanders over the past 50 years, including extinctions of 90 species, according to a review of evidence.

It has spread to over 60 countries.

Australia, Central America and South America are particularly hard hit.

“Highly virulent wildlife disease, including chytridiomycosis, is contributing to the Earth’s sixth mass extinction,” said Dr Ben Scheele of The Australian National University in Canberra.