Globally Threatened Amphibian Species Part 1

More documents

Recommendations

Info

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
Globally Threatened Amphibian Species 195 CR Leptophryne cruentata (Tschudi, 1838) BLEEDING TOAD Critically Endangered A2ac Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae Country Distribution: Indonesia Current Population Trend: Decreasing © Djoko Iskandar Geographic Range This species occurs only on Mount Pangrango, Mount Gedeh and Curug Luhur, Jawa Barat, Java, Indonesia, at altitudes between 1,000m and 2,000m asl. Population In 1976, this species was abundant within its small range. In 1987, it was very rare following the eruption of Mount Galunggung. There were no records from the early 1990s until 2003, when one individual was sighted from the Cibeureum Waterfall. It appears to have undergone a major decline. Habitat and Ecology It lives in the boundary zone between moist lowland and montane forest. It breeds in very slow-moving, intermittent streams in forest where the larvae also develop. Major Threats It appears to have declined drastically due to a volcanic eruption. However, its decline is also reminiscent of similar disappearances of montane stream-breeding amphibians in other parts of the moist tropics, and so chytridiomycosis cannot be ruled out (although this disease has not so far been recorded in this region). Conservation Measures This species occurs in the Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park. Surveys are needed to locate this species and a captive-breeding programme might need to be established. Bibliography: Iskandar, D.T. and Colijn, E. (2000) Data Providers: Djoko Iskandar, Mumpuni EN Melanophryniscus devincenzii Klappenbach, 1968 Endangered B2ab(iii) Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae Country Distribution: Argentina, Uruguay Current Population Trend: Decreasing © Axel Kwet Geographic Range This species occurs in the southern part of Misiones Province, Argentina, and Rivera, Tacuarembó, and Cerro Largo Departments in Uruguay at elevations of 150-350m asl. Population It is very rare in Misiones (Argentina) where males have been found (in 1998 and 2003) in amplexus with females of other species, possibly because of a lack of conspecifi cs. The population status of the species in Uruguay is unknown. Habitat and Ecology It occurs in open areas with rocky outcrops, but also occurs in the ecotones between grasslands and forests of Astronium balansae. In Uruguay, it has been found in eucalyptus plantations. Nothing is known about its breeding habits, other than that males have been found in amplexus in temporary streams and the larvae presumably develop in streams. Major Threats The pollution of soil and water due to agricultural practices is a known threat to this species. In Misiones, it is also threatened by the conversion of native habitat to pine plantations. Conservation Measures It occurs in small provincial parks in Argentina, including Fachinal and the Campos San Juan private reserves. Broad-scale conservation actions are necessary to combat the effects of pollution on its breeding habitat. Bibliography: Langone, J.A. (1994), Lavilla, E.O. et al. (2000), Lavilla, E.O. and Cei, J.M. (2001), Lavilla, E.O., Barrionuevo, S. and Baldo, D. (2002), Maneyro, R. and Langone, J.A. (2001) Data Providers: Esteban Lavilla, Diego Baldo, Jose Langone VU Melanophryniscus dorsalis (Mertens, 1933) Vulnerable B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae Country Distribution: Brazil Current Population Trend: Decreasing Geographic Range This species occurs along the coast of Brazil in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande de Sul states, from 0-20m asl. Population It was previously collected rather extensively, but there have only been a few recent collections and the species is believed to have undergone declines in recent years. Habitat and Ecology It occurs on sand dunes and nearby areas, and reproduces in temporal pools. Major Threats The major threat to this species is habitat loss and degradation due to the conversion of habitat for beaches, urbanization, and off-road recreational vehicle use. Conservation Measures It occurs in Guarita Municipal Park, but there is a need for improved protection of habitat at other sites at which this species is known to occur. Bibliography: Garcia, P.C.A. and Vinciprova, G. (2003) Data Providers: Paulo Garcia © Axel Kwet VU Melanophryniscus macrogranulosus Braun, 1973 Vulnerable B1ab(iii) Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae Country Distribution: Brazil Current Population Trend: Decreasing © Marcos Di Bernardo Geographic Range This species is known only from the type locality: Torres, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The type locality is listed as a municipality, which has since been divided into several municipalities. Population It has not been recorded since 1960. Habitat and Ecology There is no information about its ecology or biology in the literature. It presumably breeds in water. Major Threats There is no information on threats to this species, although there has been extensive habitat loss in its range due to urbanization in the last 30 years and there is probably very little habitat remaining. Conservation Measures There are no protected areas near where this species was collected. It is categorized as Vulnerable on the Brazil national list. Bibliography: Braun, P.C. (1973), Braun, P.C. and Braun, C.A.S. (1980) Data Providers: Débora Silvano, Paulo Garcia
Page 1 and 2: Globally Threatened Amphibian Speci
Page 49: Globally Threatened Amphibian Speci

Globally Threatened Amphibian Species Part 1

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?