THREATENED AMPHIBIANS OF THE WORLD S.N. Stuart, M. Hoffmann, J.S. Chanson, N.A. Cox, R.J. Berridge, P. Ramani, and B.E. Young (eds.) THREATENED AMPHIBIANS OF THE WORLD Cover: Hylomantis lemur, Endangered. © Joel Sartore / www.joelsartore.com Back cover: Agalychnis callidryas, Least Concern. © Kenji Nishida Page 1: Ichthyophis kohtaoensis, Least Concern. © Danté Fenolio Page 135: Atelopus ignescens, Extinct. © Michael and Patricia Fogden Page 145: Leptopelis vermiculatus, Vulnerable. © Maik Dobiey Page 609: Epipedobates bassleri, Near Threatened © Maik Dobiey Recommended citation: Stuart, S.N., Hoffmann, M., Chanson, J.S., Cox, N.A., Berridge, R.J., Ramani, P., and Young, B.E. (eds.) (2008). Threatened Amphibians of the World. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain; IUCN, Gland, Switzerland; and Conservation International, Arlington, Virginia, USA. Published as a partnership between IUCN, Conservation International and Lynx Edicions. First edition: July 2008 © Lynx Edicions – Montseny 8, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain) © Texts: introductory matter: authors / IUCN and Conservation International; species accounts: IUCN, Conservation International and NatureServe © Photographs: credited photographers Printed by Ingoprint S.A. DL: B-32.689-2008 ISBN: 978-84-96553-41-5 All rights reserved. No form of reproduction, distribution, public communication or transformation of this work may be carried out without the authorization of its copyrights holders, except that foreseen by the law. Those needing to photocopy or electronically scan any part of this work should contact Lynx Edicions. Threatened Amphibians of the World is dedicated to The 500 herpetologists from around the world who devoted their knowledge, intellect and time to the Global Amphibian Assessment, and without whom this book could not have been written and especially to George Rabb for his visionary leadership and commitment to confronting the amphibian extinction crisis, which gives us hope in an otherwise bleak situation. Dendrobates azureus, Vulnerable. © Albert Popalis CONTENTS FOREWORDS IX PREFACES XI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS XIII INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS 1 Chapter 1. An Introduction to the Amphibians 2 Chapter 2. Why Save Amphibians? 23 Chapter 3. The Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA): History, Objectives and Methodology 30 Chapter 4. The State of the World’s Amphibians 33 Chapter 5. Amphibians of the Afrotropical Realm 53 Chapter 6. Amphibians of the Australasian Realm 65 Chapter 7. Amphibians of the Indomalayan Realm 74 Chapter 8. Amphibians of the Nearctic Realm 85 Chapter 9. Amphibians of the Neotropical Realm 92 Chapter 10. Amphibians of the Palaearctic Realm 106 Chapter 11. Amphibian Conservation – Responding to the Global Decline of Amphibians 114 EXTINCT AND EXTINCT IN THE WILD AMPHIBIAN SPECIES 135 GLOBALLY THREATENED AMPHIBIAN SPECIES 145 NEAR THREATENED AMPHIBIAN SPECIES 609 BIBLIOGRAPHY 645 APPENDICES 693 Appendix Ia. The IUCN Red List Categories (IUCN 2001) 693 Appendix Ib. Summary of the fi ve criteria (A-E) used to evaluate if a species belongs in a Category of Threat (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable) 693 Appendix II. Defi nitions for the initial data collection regions 694 Appendix III. A summary of IUCN Red List status by genus 694 Appendix IV. List of rapidly declining species 696 Appendix V. Species listed by territory 699 Appendix VI. Amphibian Conservation Summit Declaration: an Amphibian Conservation Action Plan 702 Appendix VIIa. The scale of conservation required for globally threatened amphibians 703 Appendix VIIb. The nature of the ecological process for which landscape-scale conservation action is required 723 Appendix VIII. List of Critically Endangered and Endangered species for which captive breeding is an immediately necessary ex-situ conservation action 725 Appendix IX. Amphibians listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) on the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 727 Appendix X. Amphibians listed as Vulnerable D2 on the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 728 Appendix XI. List of Least Concern species listed on the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with country of occurrence 729 Appendix XII. List of Data Defi cient species, with country of occurrence 739 Appendix XIII. The differences in IUCN Red List Status for some Brazilian species 744 Appendix XIV. Glossary of some key terms used 745 Appendix XV. Websites and amphibian-related resources 745 INDEX OF EXTINCT, THREATENED AND NEAR THREATENED SPECIES ACCOUNTS 747 IX FOREWORDS The fi rst signs of trouble for amphibians arose around three decades ago. IUCN, Conservation International and “Round up the usual suspects,” as Captain Renault famously said in the fi lm Casablanca, did not seem to apply. Some- NatureServe made great efforts to understand what was happening, and in 2004, the Global Amphibian Assessment thing appeared to be going on with amphibians that could not be wholly explained by the standard litany of ecological was produced with this shocking result: one-third of amphibian species are threatened with extinction. In addition, threats, such as habitat degradation and loss. The declines that were fi rst noticed in earnest in the late 1980s and we were lacking data on many species which are potentially threatened. New studies show that many of the species early 1990s raised the possibility that something was seriously amiss: a crisis that might start with environmentally that are listed as ‘Data Defi cient’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ are indeed threatened. One-third of sensitive creatures such as amphibians, but ultimately affect other strands of life, including humans. an entire distinct group of species at risk of extinction is not a trivial fi gure. NatureServe is a non-profi t organization dedicated to providing the scientifi c basis for effective conservation This book is another step in our attempt to alert the world about the extinction crisis that toads, frogs, salamanders action, with a deep appreciation for the role that research plays in addressing environmental challenges. We were and caecilians are currently facing. It is a landmark book comprising all what needs to be known about amphibian pleased to join with IUCN and Conservation International in carrying out the Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) as conservation, and as such I am very happy to see its publication and to write this foreword. I would, however, be a way to document and draw attention to the amphibian declines now underway. even happier if the amphibian extinction crisis was not taking place. I am concerned that the size of this book is a NatureServe scientists began seriously delving into the plight of amphibians through our coordination of RANA refl ection of the number of threatened species that it comprises. When reading it one should not forget that only (Research and Analysis Network for Neotropical Amphibians), a U.S. National Science Foundation-funded effort. threatened amphibians are included in the species accounts that occupy the bulk of its length. Through RANA, researchers with an interest in understanding amphibian declines in Latin America came together to Many of us probably do not give much attention to amphibians and will probably be surprised to see how diverse, share information, approaches, and results, and to train a new generation of Latin American herpetology students. unique, colourful, and fascinating they are. Many species have developed very specifi c evolutionary characteristics The project has also helped to document some of the causes that appear to be behind these declines, including fungal and adaptations. We might think that they all lay eggs in water, but some give birth to live young, some do not need diseases and shifts in climate. Building on our work with RANA, as well as our long history of assessing conservation water, some species carry their eggs, others carry their young. Two Australian frogs incubated their eggs in their status for North American and Latin American species, I am pleased that NatureServe was able to contribute to the stomachs and both are already Extinct. As a result, an entire evolutionary lineage has been lost, along with up to GAA by coordinating the Western Hemisphere portion of the initiative, and creating a website for disseminating the 164 other species. These reproductive traits are the results of millions of years of evolution. Who knows if such project’s data and results to the broader community (www.globalampihibians.org). adaptations would not have been key to the survival of species in response to climate change? The GAA partnership has succeeded admirably in bringing the dire condition of the world’s amphibian species into Amphibians are sending us a very strong signal that something is seriously wrong with the way we take care of focus, and in motivating the scientifi c and conservation communities to take action. The present volume provides an our environment. They have been considered as the ‘canaries in the coal mine’; their permeable skin makes them important summary of what is known about amphibians around the world, and what will be required to ensure their sensitive to many forms of pollution; they are also extremely sensitive to climate change and diseases. The sharp future. While the work to do so will be diffi cult, and success is not assured, only by committing to the approaches decline in amphibian populations could prefi gure, if we are not careful, what other groups of species might undergo outlined in the recent Amphibian Conservation Action Plan will we have a hope for preserving the many and varied in the future. Amphibians provide us with a critical challenge if we are to meet the target that all countries agreed faces of this ancient lineage. upon: a signifi cant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. Amphibians are a key part of ecosystems and the food chain; they control the number of many invertebrates, and Mary L. Klein are prey for many species of birds or mammals. Some species are also a source of revenue for human communities President and CEO, NatureServe who eat them, use them as medicines, or supply them to the international pet trade.