Globally Threatened Amphibian Species Part 1

194
Threatened Amphibians of the World
VU Capensibufo rosei Hewitt, 1926
ROSE’S MOUNTAIN TOAD
Vulnerable B1ab(ii,iii,iv)+2ab(ii,iii,iv)
Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae
Country Distribution: South Africa
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
© Andrew Turner
Geographic Range This species occurs only in south-western South Africa, where it is restricted to the Cape
Peninsula and to the mountains south-west of the Breede River. Its altitudinal range is 60-1,600m asl, with more
than 80% of localities being above 400m asl.
Population It is locally common at breeding sites, and large dense breeding aggregations can sometimes be found.
However, it is absent from some apparently suitable sites.
Habitat and Ecology It is a species of mountain fynbos heathland, and does not survive in altered habitats. Breeding
takes place in temporary rock pools in weathered sandstone.
Major Threats The main threat to this species is the loss of its fynbos habitat, mainly because of the spread of
alien vegetation and frequent burning.
Conservation Measures Much of the range of this species is within protected areas, including the Cape Peninsula
National Park and several State Forests.
Bibliography: Branch, W.R. (1988), Channing, A. (2001), De Villiers, A.L. (1997), Grandison, A.G.C. (1980), Minter, L.R. et al. (2004),
Passmore, N.I. and Carruthers, V.C. (1995), Tandy, M. and Keith, R. (1972)
Data Providers: Leslie Minter, Alan Channing, James Harrison
CR Churamiti maridadi Channing and Stanley, 2002
Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae
Country Distribution: Tanzania
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
© William T. Stanley
Geographic Range This species is known only from the Ukaguru Mountains in eastern Tanzania. The only
specimens were collected at 1,840m asl. It has not been found in other, better-surveyed parts of the Eastern Arc
mountain chain.
Population Only two female specimens are known.
Habitat and Ecology The only specimens were collected in dry montane forest. The large toe pads suggest that it is
arboreal. Its breeding is unknown, but the presence of large numbers of pigmented eggs in the only known specimens
suggests that it is neither a live-bearer, nor a direct developer.
Major Threats The forests in the Ukaguru Mountains are poorly protected, and threatened by agricultural encroachment
and human settlement.
Conservation Measures This species occurs in the Mamiwa-Kisara Forest Reserve. Further survey work is required
to determine the biology and population status and trends of this species and the limits of its range.
Bibliography: Channing, A. and Stanley, W.T. (2002)
Data Providers: Kim Howell, Alan Channing
EN Dendrophryniscus carvalhoi Izecksohn, 1994 “1993”
Endangered B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae
Country Distribution: Brazil
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
© Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues
Geographic Range This species is known from only from two localities at around 800m asl in the state of Espírito
Santo, southern Brazil: the type locality, Santa Tereza; and from nearby at Fundao. It almost certainly occurs a little
more widely.
Population It appears to be a rare species.
Habitat and Ecology It lives in the leaf-litter of primary and secondary forests, but not in more degraded habitats,
and is dependent upon bromeliads in which it lays its eggs and in which the the larvae develop.
Major Threats The major threats are habitat loss due to agricultural expansion, livestock grazing, clear-cutting, the
collection of bromeliads, and human settlement. The population at Fundao is threatened by coffee cultivation.
Conservation Measures It might occur in the Estacion Biólogica Santa Lucia, and Reserva Biólogica Augusto
Ruschi, but this is not confirmed. It has been found in forest on private land, and bromeliads from this area have
been introduced into nearby protected areas. Since it is quite possible that these bromeliads contained larvae of the
species, it may have become inadvertently established in these protected areas.
Bibliography: Izecksohn, E. (1993)
Data Providers: Débora Silvano, Oswaldo Luiz Peixoto
EN Didynamipus sjostedti Andersson, 1903
Endangered B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae
Country Distribution: Cameroon, Equatorial
Guinea, Nigeria
© Mary E. Gartshore
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
Geographic Range This species is known from extreme south-western Cameroon in the general area of Mount
Cameroon and surrounding forests, and from old specimens at 400-600m asl near Basile on Bioko Island, Equatorial
Guinea. It has recently been discovered in the Oban Hills in Nigeria (M. Gartshore pers. comm.). In Cameroon there
are records from Mount Cameroon (especially from the southern slopes) where it has been recorded at an altitude
of 200-1,250m asl, and also from the Kendonge Forest Reserve to the north of Mount Cameroon, the Mokoko Forest
Reserve north-west of Mount Cameroon close to the border with Nigeria, and from Baro just outside the north-western
border of Korup National Park. Although it can be expected between the known localities in Cameroon, there has been
extensive herpetological fi eldwork in this area, which is perhaps indicative of a patchy distribution.
Population There have been very few records of this species, but it is common on the southern slopes of Mount Cameroon,
and is especially numerous at around 1,000m asl. There is also a healthy population in the Makoko Forest Reserve,
and it is locally extremely abundant in the Oban Hills. There is no recent information on its status on Bioko.
Habitat and Ecology It lives on forest edges and in clearings in moist forest from the lowlands to the submontane
zone. They form aggregations of 5-40 individuals including males, females and juveniles. They are most often seen
sitting on wet leaves of low herbaceous vegetation. It has also been found in selectively logged forest on the edge of
small farms. Its breeding habits are not known, but it is suspected to have a viviparous mode of reproduction, since
it is most closely related to the West African genus Nimbaphrynoides.
Major Threats The main threat to the species is habitat loss primarily due to agricultural expansion, wood extraction,
and human settlement.
Conservation Measures It is recorded from the Makoko and Kendonge Forest Reserves, and probably occurs in
Korup National Park. It also has recently been found in the Cross River National Park in Nigeria.
Bibliography: Amiet, J.-L. (1976b), Gartshore, M.E. (1986), Gartshore, M.E. (1999), Grandison, A.G.C. (1981), Lawson, D.P. (1993),
Mertens, R. (1965)
Data Providers: Mary Gartshore, Jean-Louis Amiet, Robert Drewes