Globally Threatened Amphibian Species Part 1

Globally Threatened Amphibian Species 231
EN Dendrobates virolinensis (Ruíz-Carranza and Ramírez-Pinilla, 1992)
Endangered B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Dendrobatidae
Country Distribution: Colombia
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
CITES: Appendix II
© Luis Fernando Cáceres
Geographic Range This species occurs in the Santuaro de Fauna y Flora Guanentá, Alto Río Fonce, Río Cañaverales
and El Reloj; and also in Municipio de Socorro, Santander Department, Colombia, at 1,700-2,00m asl.
Population It is common, with many recent records.
Habitat and Ecology It lives on the floor of cloud forest, and only occurs in secondary forest if there is a lot of leaflitter
and bromeliads (since it lays its eggs in leaf-litter and the males bring the larvae to the bromeliads).
Major Threats Habitat fragmentation and loss is the main threat, and is taking place primarily due to agricultural
expansion. This species is also found in the pet trade.
Conservation Measures Although it occurs in the Santuaro de Fauna y Flora Guanentá, improved habitat protection
is required, and there is a need to monitor and regulate the offtake of this species for international trade. Decree
INDERENA No. 39 of 9 July, 1985, forbids the collection of Dendrobates spp. from the wild for breeding (or other)
purposes.
Bibliography: Amezquita, A. (1995), Perez, G., Ruiz-Carranza, P.M. and Ramirez-Pinilla, M.P. (1992), Rueda-Almonacid, J.V. (1999),
Ruiz-Carranza, P.M. and Ramírez Pinilla, M. (1992), Ruiz-Carranza, P.M., Ardila-Robayo, M.C. and Lynch, J.D. (1996), Vences, M. et al.
(2000b)
Data Providers: Adolfo Amézquita, Jose Vicente Rueda
VU Epipedobates cainarachi Schulte, 1989
CAINARACHI POISON FROG
Vulnerable B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Dendrobatidae
Country Distribution: Peru
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
CITES: Appendix II
© Karl-Heinz Jungfer
Geographic Range This species is known only from the type locality and adjacent areas including the Tarapoto-
Yurimaguas road (San Martín Department) in Peru. It probably occurs more widely than is currently known. It has
been recorded up to 600m asl.
Population There is nothing known about the population status of this species.
Habitat and Ecology It inhabits lowland tropical moist forest and “rolling hills”, and can be found in primary
and possibly slightly degraded habitats. The breeding habitat is not known, although the larvae are presumably
deposited in water.
Major Threats The major threat is the loss of forest habitat through agriculture (coffee), livestock production, and
subsistence wood collection. The species has not been recorded from international trade.
Conservation Measures It is not recorded from any protected areas. Improved habitat protection is required at
sites where this species is known to occur.
Bibliography: Jungfer, K.-H. (1989), Rodriguez, L. and Myers, C.W. (1993), Schulte, R. (1989)
Data Providers: Javier Icochea, Karl-Heinz Jungfer
CR Epipedobates ingeri (Cochran and Goin, 1970)
Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Dendrobatidae
Country Distribution: Colombia
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
CITES: Appendix II
Geographic Range This species is known only from the type
locality: Asarrio, on the Pescado River in the Amazonian lowlands,
Caqueta Department, Colombia, at 200m asl. It has not been found
elsewhere, and probably has a very small range.
Population It is known from a single specimen, which was described
in 1970. Recent work in the region has not turned up any new
specimens. Given the level of habitat destruction that has taken
place within its range, it could be extinct.
Habitat and Ecology The area where it was collected was lowland
forest. It is probably a terrestrial and diurnal species, laying its eggs
in leaf-litter. The males probably take care of the eggs and then move
the larvae to pools of water in epiphytes for development.
Major Threats The entire region where the type specimen was
collected has been deforested for cattle farming since 1978.
Conservation Measures There are no protected areas near the type
locality. A search for any remaining populations is urgently needed
before the species is declared extinct.
Notes on taxonomy: Jungfer, Lötters and Jörgens (2000) suggest this species should revert to the genus Dendrobates.
Bibliography: Jungfer, K.-H., Lötters, S. and Jörgens, D. (2000), Rueda-Almonacid, J.V. (1999), Silverstone, P.A. (1976)
Data Providers: Andrés Acosta-Galvis, Jose Vicente Rueda
CR Epipedobates planipaleae Morales and Velazco, 1998
OXAPAMPA POISON FROG
Critically Endangered B1ab(iii)
Order, Family: Anura, Dendrobatidae
Country Distribution: Peru
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
CITES: Appendix II
Geographic Range This recently described species is known only
from the type locality of Llamaquizú stream, close to Oxapampa town,
at 2,010m asl (Departamento: Pasco), Peru. It is thought to have a
genuinely restricted distribution.
Population It is a very rare species, and is known only from the
type series.
Habitat and Ecology It is recorded from montane tropical rainforest.
Its breeding habitat is not known.
Major Threats The major threat to this species is habitat loss due
to expanding agricultural activities.
Conservation Measures Although Parque Nacional Yanachaga-
Chemillen is very near to the type locality, populations of the species
have not been reported from this protected area; there might be a
need to extend the boundaries of this park to include the known
type locality. The species is protected by national legislation in Peru.
Further surveys are needed to determine the current population status
of the species, and captive-breeding programmes might be required
to ensure its persistence.
Bibliography: Morales, V.R. and Velazco, P.M. (1998)
Data Providers: Javier Icochea, Edgar Lehr, Karl-Heinz Jungfer, Stefan Lötters