Tank bromeliads provide a freshwater microhabitat for a rich aquatic community, including amphibian species. Some of these amphibians are threatened, among other factors, because their host plants are also threatened. DNA traces left behind by amphibians in the water accumulated in bromeliads provide us a clue to track the presence and geographical distribution of these species in the environment, even when they have a low population abundance. We used an environmental DNA metabarcoding approach to survey three bromeligenous or bromelicolous amphibian species distributed in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. The three species have a low population abundance or are not detected in the field by using traditional methods for up to 100 years. No DNA trace of our target species was identified among the eDNA samples analysed. However, we successfully identified the DNA of one tribe, two genera and nine amphibian species in the bromeliads surveyed. Our results support the high sensitivity and the non-invasive characteristic of eDNA metabarcoding for surveying bromeligenous or bromelicolous amphibians. We also highlight that more amphibian species could eventually use bromeliads as shelter than has been previously thought, evidencing the importance for further investigations about interactions and conservation status of amphibians and bromeliads.

水箱凤梨科植物为包括两栖动物在内的丰富的水生群落提供淡水微生境。其中一些两栖动物受到威胁，除其他因素外，因为它们的寄主植物也受到威胁。两栖动物在凤梨科植物中积累的水中留下的 DNA 痕迹为我们提供了追踪这些物种在环境中的存在和地理分布的线索，即使它们的种群丰度很低。我们使用环境 DNA 元条形码方法来调查分布在巴西大西洋森林中的三种凤梨科或凤梨科两栖动物物种。这三个物种的种群丰度较低，或者使用传统方法长达 100 年都没有在野外发现。在分析的 eDNA 样本中没有发现我们目标物种的 DNA 痕迹。然而，我们在所调查的凤梨科植物中成功鉴定了一个部落、两个属和九个两栖动物物种的 DNA。我们的结果支持 eDNA 元条形码用于调查凤梨科或凤梨科两栖动物的高灵敏度和非侵入性特征。我们还强调，更多的两栖动物物种最终可以使用凤梨科动物作为庇护所，这比以前认为的要多，这证明了进一步调查两栖动物和凤梨科动物的相互作用和保护状况的重要性。