The species included rain forest frogs known as Mixophyes fasciolatus and the giant cane toads, known scientifically as Bufo marinus, introduced to Australia from Hawaii in 1935. The fungi, they said, are usually found in the soil, where they help break down rotting matter. They may be killing the frogs by stopping air and water from passing through their permeable skin, or the fungus could be releasing some sort of poison. The fungi only does serious harm to adult frogs. Tadpoles were only infected on the insides of their mouths, which have thicker skin.
Scientists are worried by the disappearance of frogs around the world.
People have also been finding strangely deformed frogs.