The recent study Speciation and historical invasions of the Asian black-spined toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) by MSc Nguyen Van Tan at the Duy Tan University (DTU) Center for Insects & Parasites presents many discoveries about the evolutionary history and migration of the toxic Asian black-spined toad.
The findings have been published in Nature Communications (Q1, SCIE, IF=13.46), one of the world’s leading research journals. The study on the toxic Asian black-spined toad is the result of collaborative research between the DTU Center for Insects & Parasites, Prof. Christophe Dufresnes (Nanjing Forestry University, China), and Assoc.Prof. Nikolay A. Poyarkov (Moscow State University, Russia), with advisory support from experts from the US, Russia, France, the UK, Germany, Pakistan, Portugal, Italy, Canada, Finland, India, China, Slovakia, and Thailand.
Breakthrough study on the toxic Asian black-spined toad along the Silk Road
New findings on the toxic Asian black-spined toad in Nature Communications
The latest findings on the Asian black-spined toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus have made a strong impression and were officially published in Nature Communications, a prestigious multidisciplinary journal of Q1 rank and with an impact factor (IF) of 13.46. Nature Communications is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal published by Nature Portfolio since 2010. It covers a wide range of natural sciences, including physics, chemistry, earth science, medicine, and biology, with editorial offices in London, Berlin, New York, and Shanghai.
This study focuses on D. melanostictus, an amphibian with skin toxins that poses a major threat to hotspots in Wallacea and Madagascar due to biological invasions. Molecular biological analysis across its entire distribution range reveals that D. melanostictus, previously considered a single species, actually comprises at least two distinct species:
? one native to Southeast Asia and migrated to Madagascar, and
? the other confined to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia, and introduced into Wallacea.
The new findings highlight the role of humans in the migration and distribution of animals and our significant impact on the global biodiversity map.
MSc Nguyen Van Tan (DTU) worked on numerous significant
studies focused on amphibian and reptile species in Vietnam
The Asian Black-Spined Toad D. melanostictus has been confirmed to be as dangerous as the notorious cane toad (Rhinella marina). Under stress, the Asian black-spined toad secretes a toxin that can be lethal to unadapted predators, including iconic species like the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). This makes the spread of the Asian black-spined toad from Madagascar, Australia, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China, and Taiwan a global ecological threat. The research by Mr Tan and his coworkers therefore sought to clarify the mechanisms behind biological invasions, offer insights into wildlife management and conservation, and give a better understanding on the species and on how to avoid unsafe encounters with the toad, which can cause burns, swelling, or even death if consumed after improper processing.
Distribution range of the two species under the name D. melanostictus
“With the results of this study, we aim to provide important recommendations to scientists and policymakers to pay special attention to animal species at risk of migrating along with human movement,” Mr Tan explains. “Some of these species are not only resilient, and have the potential to become biological invaders and cause serious damage to native environments, but they also potentially carry uncontrolled diseases. Examples include the golden apple snail, the red-eared slider turtle, and even the Covid-19 outbreak, believed to have originated from bats carrying a coronavirus and which caused severe global health and environmental consequences.”
A scientific achievement fueled by passion for biodiversity research
From his early days as a student of Biology & Chemistry Pedagogy at Tay Bac University, Mr Tan set his sights on scientific research in biodiversity, particularly amphibians and reptiles. His passion led to a significant achievement in 2014, when, as a fourth-year student, he and his research team won a first prize at the Vietnam Young Science Talent awards for the project “Study on the diversity of amphibian species in Sop Cop nature reserve, Son La province”.
Phylogenetic analysis of the Asian black-spined toad D. melanostictus reveals
that the species complex comprises at least two species
After graduation, Mr Tan continued his research career at renowned scientific institutions, such as the Institute of Ecology & Biological Resources (of the Vietnam Academy of Science & Technology) and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife. In 2022, he officially joined DTU as a researcher at the Center for Insects & Parasites.
With the full support from university leadership and colleagues he enjoyed at DTU and the open research environment there, Mr Tan continued his diligent scientific research. In 2024, he co-authored the book Diversity of Bird Species in Lang Sen Wetland Reserve and published 21 papers in international journals (including 4 in Q1-ranked and 12 in Q2-ranked journals). These contributions significantly expand our knowledge on amphibians and reptiles in Vietnam and in neighboring countries.
MSc Nguyen Van Tan presented his research on green pit vipers (Trimeresurus)
at DTU’s medicine & pharmacy conference in 2024
To date, Mr Tan has published more than 65 papers in prestigious peer-reviewed international journals and has a ResearchGate H-index of 12. He collaborated on the description of a new genus of lizard (Laodracon Brakels), twenty new reptile species, and twelve new amphibian species. Notably, his research focuses on taxonomy, molecular biology, and conservation of important genera like Micryletta (paddy frogs), Tylototriton (knobby newts), Trimenesurus (green pit vipers), Pareas (slug-eating snakes), and Lycodon (wolf snakes). These studies have been published in other prestigious international journals, such as Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution (Q1, IF=3.58), Zoological Research (Q1, IF=3.64), PeerJ (Q1, IF=5.02), and Vertebrate Zoology (Q1, IF=2.45), as well as in Q2 journals like Zootaxa, European Journal of Taxonomy, and Biodiversity Data Journal.
“I’m expanding my research focus, concentrating more on taxonomy, phylogenetics, evolution, ecology, and the conservation of amphibians and reptiles,” Mr Tan explains. “One of my main focuses is the study of toxicology and venomous snakes in Vietnam and surrounding areas. Through this, I hope to raise public awareness, provide accurate scientific knowledge, and mitigate the risks of venomous snakebites. I personally manage the Snake Identification & First Aid for Snakebites in Vietnam or SIFASV, which I co-founded in June 2021 and which is an online community with over 145 thousand active members on Facebook.
[https://www.facebook.com/groups/sifasv] This platform allows my colleagues and me to share knowledge, assist with snake species identification, and provide timely and correct first-aid information for snakebite victims, contributing to public health protection.”
(Media Center)