Globally Threatened Amphibian Species Part 1

198
Threatened Amphibians of the World
EN Nectophrynoides vestergaardi Menegon, Salvidio and Loader, 2004
Endangered B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae
Country Distribution: Tanzania
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
CITES: Appendix I
© Martin Vestergaard
Geographic Range This species is known only from the West Usambara Mountains in north-eastern Tanzania.
There are records from the Shume-Magamba Forest Reserve, the Mazumbai Forest Reserve, and the Ambangulu
Estate between 1,230 and 2,000m asl.
Population There is little information available on its population status. However, the fact that 23 specimens have
been found widely over the West Usambara Mountains, despite limited survey effort, suggests that it is not uncommon
in suitable habitat within its small range.
Habitat and Ecology All records have been from montane and submontane forest, including in the ecotone
between forest and ericaceous vegetation. It is probably terrestrial, and some animals were found inside a rotten
log. Its breeding is unknown, but it is assumed to be ovoviviparous, like other members of its genus, with internal
fertilization, giving birth to tiny toadlets.
Major Threats In some parts of the West Usambaras its habitat is probably being lost, especially due to agricultural
encroachment, commercial logging, wood extraction, and expanding human settlements.
Conservation Measures It occurs in the University of Dar es Salaam’s forest reserve at Mazumbai, but additional
protection of the habitat in the West Usambara Mountains is needed.
Bibliography: Menegon, M., Salvidio, S. and Loader, S.P. (2004)
Data Providers: Michele Menegon, Simon Loader
VU Nectophrynoides viviparus (Tornier, 1905)
Vulnerable B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae
Country Distribution: Tanzania
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
CITES: Appendix I
© David Moyer / Wildlife Conservation Society
Geographic Range This species occurs in the Uluguru and Udzungwa Mountains and in the Southern Highlands of
eastern and southern Tanzania. It is a montane species, ranging from 1,350-2,800m asl.
Population It is relatively common.
Habitat and Ecology It is a terrestrial species living in forest, bamboo, and grasslands at the forest edge. It has
been found in maize cultivation, but needs to be close to the forest edge, and probably cannot tolerate complete
opening up of its habitat. It breeds by internal fertilization, the females retaining the larvae internally in the oviduct
until little toadlets are born.
Major Threats The major threat to this species is habitat loss, especially at lower altitudes, due to agricultural
encroachment, wood extraction and expanding human settlements.
Conservation Measures It occurs in several forest reserves, but has not been found in any well-protected area. It
might occur in the Udzungwa National Park, but has thus far not been recorded.
Bibliography: Howell, K.M. (1993), Menegon, M. (2000), Perret, J.-L. (1971a), Perret, J.-L. (1972), Poynton, J.C. (1998), Poynton, J.C.
(2003b)
Data Providers: Simon Loader, John Poynton, Kim Howell
CR Nectophrynoides wendyae Clarke, 1988
Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae
Country Distribution: Tanzania
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
CITES: Appendix I
© Michele Menegon
Geographic Range This species is known from one tiny area, in the Udzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve, above Chita,
on the escarpment of the Udzungwa Mountains, in eastern Tanzania. It is found from 1,500-1,650m asl. It has not
been found at other localities in the Udzungwa Mountains.
Population The species is quite common in one tiny area, measuring roughly 300m x 300m.
Habitat and Ecology It is a species of montane moist forest, living on the ground. It is not known whether or not it
can survive in anthropogenically disturbed habitats, since the only known site is in undisturbed forest. It breeds by
internal fertilization, the females retaining the larvae internally in the oviduct until little toadlets are born.
Major Threats Its habitat is probably being lost due to agricultural encroachment, wood extraction, and expanding
human settlements.
Conservation Measures This species occurs in the Udzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve, but not in any well-protected
areas. The population status and trends of this species require monitoring.
Bibliography: Clarke, B.T. (1988), Howell, K.M. (1993), Poynton, J.C. (1998), Poynton, J.C. (2003b)
Data Providers: Michele Menegon, Simon Loader, John Poynton, Kim Howell
CR Nimbaphrynoides liberiensis Xavier, 1979 “1978”
Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Bufonidae
Country Distribution: Liberia
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
CITES: Appendix I
© Laura Sandberger
Geographic Range This species is known only from the Mount Nimba region in Liberia. It presumably also occurs in
adjacent parts of Guinea and perhaps also in Côte d’Ivoire, but there have not yet been any records. It is a montane
species, and the type locality is at 1,290m asl.
Population It is apparently extremely common in its small range, but there do not appear to have been any recent
records, presumably due to a lack of fieldwork in the area.
Habitat and Ecology It is apparently a species of forest and forest edge close to savannah. It is a viviparous species,
with the female nourishing the young internally prior to the birth of small toadlets.
Major Threats Habitat loss and degradation due to the mining of bauxite is the biggest threat to this species.
There is probably also ongoing loss of forest due to wood extraction. The species is inherently at risk because of
its small range.
Conservation Measures This species presumably occurs in the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, which is a World
Heritage Site. Survey work is necessary to determine the current population status and trends of this species.
Bibliography: Grandison, A.G.C. (1981), Perret, J.-L. (1971a), Perret, J.-L. (1972), Xavier, F. (1978)
Data Providers: Mark-Oliver Rödel, Arne Schiøtz