Agalychnis callidryas by Tim Halliday ISSN 1026-0269

FROGLOG Newsletter of the Declining Populations Task Force

April 2005, Number 68

or appeals are ongoing or likely to be post-fire flooding on amphibian The DAPTF submitted concerning the listing or in southern California; and the California / critical designation for 4 other role of climate change in population Nevada Working : California red-legged declines of the foothill yellow-legged Group Annual (Rana aurora draytonii), mountain frog. Meeting yellow-legged frog (R. muscosa), relict C. Protection and Recovery By David Bradford, Working Group (R. onca), and Siskiyou Efforts. Presentations by the Chair mountain (Plethodon California Department of Fish and th The 13 annual meeting of the stormi). The US Environmental Game (CDFG) and National Park working group was held at the Protection Agency (EPA) was sued for Service showed remarkable recovery University of California, Berkeley, on not consulting with FWS about of populations of the mountain yellow- January 13-14, 2005. Over 150 potential impacts of pesticides on the legged frog following removal of individuals attended, representing (in threatened red-legged frog. introduced fish. CDFG has developed order of frequency): federal agencies, Subsequently, EPA issued new a number of basin management plans universities, environmental consulting guidelines allowing it to use its own that include restoration of native firms, state agencies, independent discretion in deciding whether to aquatic faunal assemblages. Other parties, and non-governmental consult with FWS concerning papers described the creation of new organizations. The meeting was endangered . These pond habitat for the Columbia spotted sponsored by the California guidelines are being challenged. A frog (Rana luteiventris); a remarkable Biodiversity Centre of the University of lawsuit against the California comeback for the California red- California. Department of Pesticide Regulation legged frog in Calaveras County, Two keynote presentations pertaining to potential effects of home of the famous Mark Twain were given. Dr. David Wake, UC pesticides on amphibians has been Jumping Frog Contest; management Berkeley, spoke on “Amphibian “mooted” for technical reasons, but an of habitat for the red-legged frog within Declines: A 15-year Retrospective. appeal is ongoing. Several habitat the State Water Project facilities; and Where Are We Heading?” This was conservation plans are under development of conservation an enlightening talk that included development or in progress that will strategies for five Sierra Nevada several perspectives on the value of affect a number of amphibians in amphibians. biodiversity, using amphibians as California and Nevada. D. Fundamental Biology. A examples; the history of recognition of B. Factors Potentially Affecting number of papers addressed various the declining amphibian phenomenon; Amphibian Populations. Three papers aspects of amphibian biology that are the many accomplishments resulting addressed chytridiomycosis in the relevant to the protection or recovery from this concern; and recent mountain yellow-legged frog in the of species. Included were studies on documentation for the magnitude of Sierra Nevada Mountains. Topics the seasonal movements, habitat declines and the lack of understanding included the sequence of events in the variability, and mating system of the for many of them. continued decimation of frog foothill yellow-legged frog; Dr. Tyrone Hayes, UC populations, the lack of evidence that complementary resource use in the Berkeley, spoke on “From Silent the chytrid pathogen is able to survive Cascades frog (R. cascadae); life Spring to Silent Night: Pesticides and when its amphibian host is absent, history of post-metamorphic tailed What Our Canary is Trying to Tell Us.” and the efficacy of using tadpole (Ascaphus truei); upland habitat This was a stirring talk on the mouthparts to determine the chytrid use by the California tiger salamander; abundant evidence for adverse effects status of frog populations. Two age structure and longevity of the of the world’s most heavily used papers provided new correlative mountain yellow-legged frog; influence pesticide, atrazine, on frog evidence that airborne pesticides are of watershed-scale properties reproductive biology, and the adversely affecting amphibian (especially forest cover) on stream resistance of the regulatory populations in the Sierra Nevada temperature and the existence of the community to accept and act on these Mountains. Other presentations on cold-water amphibians, tailed frog and new findings. impacts addressed the palatability of southern torrent salamander Twenty-nine contributed talks two native amphibians to introduced (Rhyacotriton variegatus); and and 5 posters reflected a variety of fish, Yosemite (Bufo canorus) malformation and trematode parasitic topics and species: and Pacific treefrog (Pseudacris infection in frogs. A. Legal Actions. In 2004, the regilla); influence of vegetation E. Population Status, US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) encroachment on populations of the Distribution, and Phylogeography. listed all population segments of the Amargosa toad (Bufo nelsoni); video Studies on two taxa, foothill and California tiger salamander observations of crayfish predation on mountain yellow-legged frogs, (Ambystoma californiense) as eggs of the foothill yellow-legged frog provided detailed phylogenetic trees endangered or threatened. Petitions (Rana boylii); effects of wild fires and which should be helpful in identifying

1 natural dispersal corridors and metamorphosed juvenile in October Acknowledgements appropriate geographic units for 1995 (García-Pérez, 1997), two tadpoles I am indebted to the personnel of the conservation. A population of the in February 2004 and 18 tadpoles in Parque Nacional General Cruz Carrillo lowland leopard frog (R. yavapaiensis) December 2004. Additionally, we (Guaramacal) for the support they have has been found in Arizona in an area recorded the advertisement call of a frog given my undergraduate students and I. previously speculated to contain the species in April 2002 and November This study was partially granted by relict leopard frog, a discovery that 2004 that, because of its similarities with Asociación ECONATURA (a Venezuelan confounds plans for re-establishing new other members of the genus, I am Conservation NGO) and UNELLEZ populations of the relict leopard frog in confident belongs to the genus . (Universidad Nacional Experimental de this area. Up to November 2004, I had only Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel F. Survey and Monitoring observed Atelopus specimens in a Zamora) grant SEI 23194106. I am Programs. CDFG has nearly completed single mountain stream, with a 45 thankful to Enrique La Marca, who a comprehensive survey of fish and degree slope, causing concern about discovered the species and for his field amphibians in all bodies of water in the possible deleterious events due to companionship and scientific support.

Sierra Nevada. The US forest Service flooding and landslides in the rainy References has initiated a long-term monitoring season, as suggested by La Marca and García-Pérez, J.E. 1997. Evaluación del program for status and change of Lötters (1997). I corroborated such estado poblacional de dos especies de populations and habitat for the mountain changes in this stream several times in sapitos amenazadas de extinction: yellow-legged frog and Yosemite toad the course of this study, which removed Atelopus mucubajiensis y Atelopus sp. throughout the Sierra Nevada. The and dragged soil, plants and possibly (Anura: Bufonidae) Parque Nacional meeting agenda and abstracts are frogs, from the stream margins and Sierra Nevada y Parque Nacional available at: subsequently impoverished the habitat. Páramo Guaramacal “General Cruz www.http://ice.ucdavis.edu/CANVDecl Fortunately in December 2004, I Carrillo”, en los Andes venezolanos: iningAmphibians/. The 2006 annual found evidence of a second breeding resultados preliminares. In I. Novo, L. G. meeting will be held on January 12-13 in population in a neighboring stream that Morales, C.T. Rodríguez and G. Arcata, California. had not suffered from flooding or

Martínez (Eds.). Ciencia y conservación changes from landslides and which had en el Sistema de Parques Nacionales de Survival of an several suitable pools for Atelopus Venezuela, pp. 211–216. Caracas, undescribed tadpoles. Although I did not hear any Venezuela Atelopus from frog songs at this time, the presence of the Venezuelan tadpoles indicated the survival of at least García-Pérez, J. E. 1999. La Andes one reproductive pair, because all Herpetofauna del Macizo de tadpoles were in the same larval stage. Guaramacal, In N. Cuello Ed. “Parque The two breeding populations Nacional Guaramacal”, pp 127-137. By Juan Elías García-Pérez, are found in a mainly pristine protected UNELLEZ-Guanare La Marca, E. 2004. Der Rückgang von area (Guaramacal National Park). The Froschpopulationen in den Hochanden The genus Atelopus has caused concern only sign of environmental intervention Venezuelas. Reptilia: 46: 34-38. among neotropical herpetologists and is an unpaved dirt road, with limited conservation biologists, because all La Marca, E., & S. Lötters. 1997. access for four-wheel drive vehicles. The Monitoring of declines Venezuelan described species are listed in the IUCN road is periodically maintained by Red List Categories as Extinct or Atelopus. Pp 207-213 In W. Böhme, removing soil caused by erosion and W.Bischoff & T. Ziegler (eds). Critically Endangered (Lötters, et al., landslides during the rainy season. We 2004). Once very abundant in the Herpetologia Bonnensis. Bonn, found no evidence of introduced fish Germany. Cordillera de Mérida, these beautiful such as trout in either stream. coloured frogs started an extinction race Three other anurans with free- La Marca, E., K. R. Lips, S. Lötters, R. in the late 80´s (La Marca & Rheinthaler, living larvae were collected at the first Puschendorf, R. Ibáñez, J. V. Rueda- 1991). stream in 1987 (García-Pérez, 1999). Almonacid, C. Marty, R. Schulte, F. During December 8-12, 1987, a Since then, an unidentified Dendrobatid Castro, J. Manzanilla-Puppo, J. E. herpetological team from the frog has been observed but not García-Pérez, F. Bolaños, G. Chaves, J. Universidad de Los Andes collected 12 collected, as is the case with an A. Pounds, E. Toral & B. E. Young. (In specimens of an undescribed species of unidentified Centrolenid frog and Hyla Press). Catastrophic Population the genus Atelopus in the margins of a jahni. Nonetheless, one species of Declines and Extinctions in Neotropical permanent stream in Macizo de salamander, Bolitoglossa Harlequin Frogs (Bufonidae: Atelopus). Guaramacal, in a partially isolated cloud guaramacalensis, not collected in 1987, Biotropica forest in the northeastern section of the has been the most common species La Marca, E. & H. P. Rheinthaler. 1991. Cordillera de Mérida. This species, found near this stream since 1995. Population changes in Atelopus species currently under description by La Marca The next steps will be to search of the Cordillera de Merida Venezuela. (pers. com.), was temporally called for other suitable streams and continue Herp. Rev. 22(4): 125-128. Atelopus sp. 32 in an entire genus weekly visual and sound monitoring in Lötters, S., E. La Marca, S. Stuart, R. conservation status paper (La Marca, et the known site where the species Gagliardo and M. Veith. 2004. A new al., in press), and appeared to have persists. This will involve the regional dimension of Current Biodiversity loss? suffered from a population decline Instituto Nacional de Parques Herpetotropicos 1 (3): 29-31. similar to other species of the same (INPARQUES), national park rangers, Manzanilla, J. & E. La Marca. 2004. genus (Young et al. 2001; La Marca students, universities and NGO’s. Population status of the Rancho Grande 2004; Manzanilla & La Marca 2004; I believe this is the only known harlequin frog (Atelopus cruciger Lötters et al. 2004). breeding population of Atelopus in the Lichtenstein and Martens 1856), a Since 1987, no other adult Cordillera de Mérida, in the last ten proposed critically endangered species individual of this species has been years, because I found four tadpoles of from the Venezuelan Coastal Range. observed. However, in a monitoring Atelopus mucubajiensis in September Mem. Soc. Ci. Nat. La Salle, 62(157):5- study started in 1994, we documented at 1994 (García-Pérez, 1997) but only 29. least four events of breeding activity of those in Guaramacal showed true this species: 30 tadpoles and three evidence of reproduction. Young, B. E., K. R. Lips, J. K. Reaser, R. recently metamorphosed juveniles in For more information please contact: Ibañez, A. W. Salas, J. R. Cedeño, L. A. early 1995, one recently [email protected] Coloma, S. Ron, E. La Marca, J. R.

2 Meyer, A. Muñoz, F. Bolaños, G. major river, Donghe, and are located on people have reported similar symptoms Chaves & D. Romo. 2001. Population different sides of the major river. from time to time in the fish Schizothorax Declines and Priorities for Amphibian Sanchagou valley is approximately 20 sp. Conservation in Latin America. km downstream from Hepinggou. All In summary, the lesion- causing Conservation Biology 15(5): 1213-1223. guidelines recommended by the DAPTF disease appears not to be infectious.

were followed to prevent unintended The cause of the lesion is unclear, No infectious disease in western infection by researchers. although chytrid fungus and bacteria Chinese stream The cages were set up in June have been ruled out. We will continue to 14, 2001. Three checks were conducted monitor the population and determine on 18th of June, 4th of July, and 3rd of the potential long term effect of this

August. The first check found two disease on the population. By Jinzhong Fu and Yuchi Zheng

individuals from cage #1 and one Acknowledgements Infectious diseases have been individual from cage #3 with cloudy white We would like to thank Dr. Jean-Marc responsible for population declines in spots of the side of the trunk, seemingly Hero for helping with the Chytrid fungus several Central American amphibian at an early stage of the infection. The test and Dr. Doug Campbell for species (Berger et al., 1989). During a second check found two individuals from performing other pathogen identification. field trip to western China in May 2000, cage 1 (presumably the same two) and References we first noticed lesion-like symptoms two from cage #3 with what appeared to Berger, L., R. Speare, P. Daszak, D. E. among individuals of the stream be similar early symptoms of the Green, A. A. Cunningham, C. L. Goggin, salamander Batrachuperus pinchonii, infection. One individual from cage #4 R. Slocombe, M. A. Ragan, A. D. Hyatt, which coincided with an observed died. The last check found one individual K. R. MacDonald, H. B. Hines, K. R. decline of the population size. The with a questionable infection in cage #1. Lips, G. Marantelli, and H. Parkes. 1998. population was located at Hepinggou No individuals from cage #2, 3 and 4 Chytridiomycosis causes amphibian valley, Baoxing county of Sichuan showed any more cases of infection, and mortality associated with population Province (N30º39.323’, E102º44.711’). the cloudy white spots initially declines in the rain forests of Australia One adult and one juvenile were manifested on the above specimens and Central America. PNAS 95: 9031- discovered from a stretch of disappeared. All specimens used in the 9036. approximately 60 meters of the valley. experiment were preserved at Chengdu The adult specimen had a lesion-like Institute of Biology. PROJECT KODOK 2005 skin infection and the juvenile appeared From our experiment, we By Rachel Furlong, Cheryl Gibbons, to be normal. The small population size tentatively conclude that the primary Kate Kennedy, Ian MacKenzie, Sam is in strong contrast to the healthy and transmission medium of the potential Shonleben and Amelia Stott large population that we observed in the pathogen is not water or substrate, Project Kodok is a student-run research previous year. In May 1999, 17 adults although this possibility cannot be ruled programme aimed at contributing to the were collected from a stretch of out. Our experimental period may have understanding of global amphibian approximately 30 meters of the same been too short for the specimens to declines through the study of anuran location, where all specimens appeared develop diagnosable infections. populations in the tropical forests of to be normal and healthy. We suspected Identification of the pathogens. Borneo, South East Asia. A team of six that the infection was the cause of the The attempt to identify the pathogen members will spend approximately two apparent population decline, and proved to be challenging. A test for months conducting a comprehensive subsequently, with support from the Chytrid fungus was found to be negative, monitoring survey of anuran populations, Declining Amphibian Populations Task courtesy of Dr. Jean-Marc Hero. A during the summer of 2005. We aim to Force (DAPTF), we conducted a field subsequent examination at the produce a comprehensive list of Anuran experiment to determine whether the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health species which we can then use to pathogen was transmitted by water Centre at the University of Guelph also conduct monitoring surveys to assess and/or substrates. We also tried to failed to reveal the possible pathogen. their abundance and distribution. identify the possible pathogens, in No bacterial growth was recovered from Project Kodok is planned to be a five- collaboration with other pathologists. the frozen sample of “infected” skin. year study in Borneo, this expedition Description of symptoms. The Histological examination of the eyes, being the first phase. Project Kodok is suspected infection appears to be a skin brain, oral cavity, stomach, liver, spleen, working in collaboration with DAPTF, so lesion. It occurs on the back and sides of pancreas, small intestine, and kidney that our findings can be available to the body, and is more concentrated on revealed no lesions. The only observed others, in order to contribute to the the sides of the trunk and the base of the histological abnormality of the skin cells worldwide effort in conserving these tail. The lesions are white in colour, were an abnormal number of pyknotic ecologically important, yet vulnerable contrasting against the normal blackish nuclei in the superficial layers of the organisms. or brownish skin, and appear to be softer epithelial cells. At the present time, we The project will take place in than normal skin and slightly swollen. do not know what pathogens caused the Tanjung Puting National Park, Central The lesions do not appear to limit the infection, although we can rule out Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Camp ’s movements, even where the chytrid fungus and bacteria. Leakey Research Station, run by The lesions are more extensive. We also surveyed the area Orangutan Foundation International, will Infection experiments. Four surrounding the site. As there were no serve as our base. No amphibian mesh cages made of mosquito net and farms upstream, we believe that there surveying or monitoring has been done measuring approximately 1m x 1m x was no chemical fertilizer, pesticide or previously in the park. Under threat from 30cm were placed in Hepinggou valley herbicide contamination. Our continuous illegal logging, gold mining and forest where the infected salamanders were field survey suggests that the disease clearance for palm oil plantation, the discovered. The cages were half may not be the cause of the population park represents an important area of submerged by using substrate from the decline in 2000. During 2001, a large Indonesian biodiversity. There is a need bottom of the stream within each cage population at the location was observed, to record and monitor this biodiversity Twenty healthy salamanders were although a large number of the before it is too late. The park, a lowland collected from Sanchagou, Baoxing individuals (approximately 1/3) were area of tropical heath swamp forest, may County (N30°34’ E102°57’) and five infected. The long-term cause and effect well harbour many species of specimens were released into each of the infection remains unclear. amphibians previously only known from cage. Both Hepinggou and Sanchagou Furthermore, this disease may not be other well-studied areas of the Island. A streams are connected to the same restricted to salamanders, as local

3 small preliminary investigation identified the benefit conservation can bring to for people seeking a simpler and more six species from the immediate vicinity of them. A similar interactive document satisfying lifestyle. the camp itself, one of which has not aimed at high school pupils will be • Young, B. E., Stuart, S. N., Chanson, J. previously been recorded from published on the project’s web site. This S., Cox, N. A. & Boucher, T. M. (2004) Kalimantan (Shonleben, in press). It is will provide free access to the full reports Disappearing Jewels: The Status of New the hope and one of the main aims of and more general anuran information; it World Amphibians. / Joyas que Están the project that such biodiversity data for will also be linked to other anuran Desapareciendo: El Estado de los biologically sensitive indicator species studies and function as a learning and Anfibios en el Nuevo Mundo. such as frogs and could provide teaching resource. If possible this will be NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. (54 pp.) ammunition for further protection and translated into Indonesian to aid local This attractively-illustrated, large-format legislation for the park. Such a goal will education. We also hope to involve booklet presents the results of the IUCN benefit all the organisms that form such Indonesian students in our project. For Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) for a complex ecosystem. more information please e-mail: the New World. Aimed at a wide The second aim of the Project is [email protected] audience, it provides a good overview, to record abundance data for as many References not only of the current status of vocalising and non-vocalising species as Gardner, T. and E. Fitzherbert (2001). amphibians in the Americas, but also of possible. It is universally acknowledged Project Anuran: A Multi – species the causes of global amphibian declines. that global amphibian populations are in monitoring project at the tropical lowland It concludes with a section on decline to such a serious extent that forest site of Las Cuevas, Chiquibil conservation, an agenda for the future. many species have become extinct, or Forest Reserve, Belize. Herpetological have become at very high risk of Bulletin 78, pp: 7-15. Froglog Shorts extinction, in the recent past. This trend Shonleben, S. (In Press). Preliminary is continuing, and is even more alarming Notes on Amphibian Fauna of Tanjung because declines have been detected in Puting National Park, Central populations living in pristine habitats, not DONATIONS We gratefully acknowledge Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo receipt of the following donations received just those in disturbed or shrinking habitats. It is therefore imperative for Reports on DAPTF Seed Grants prior to April 2, 2005. Institutions: research on amphibian populations to be Recipients of DAPTF Seed Grants are Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Central conducted, so that a better generally expected to publish the results Illinois Herpetological Society and the understanding of their decline can be of their projects in refereed journals, or Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. achieved, and hence that conservation as articles in Froglog. They are also Individuals: Douglas K. Holmes, Anthony efforts towards preserving this diverse required to send us reports, so that their Russel, Jerry Johnson, Chris Banks , Yi Ju Yang, Janalee P. Caldwell, Merrill Taws, and ecologically important group of results can be made available to DAPTF Richard C. Bruce and Anonymous X 2. organisms can be effective. It is hoped members. Below is a list of reports that that Project Kodok will provide we have received recently. Anyone A special welcome to our new Regional abundance data on an annual basis for wanting a copy of a report should Working Group Co-Chair for S.Korea: at least five years. Our methods follow contact the author in the first instance; Dr. Daesik Park those of Project Anuran, a multi-species we can supply copies if you cannot Owen Stephens, SOC offers his services to monitoring programme in Belize, Central reach the author. anyone in the herpetological world who is America (See Gardner and Fitzherbert, Pamela D. Widder & Joseph R. Bidwell making a film or video and requires a 2001, also www.projectanuran.org), (2004) Laboratory and mecocosm director/cameraman. Contact him at: that uses non-invasive census evaluations of cholinesterase activity [email protected] techniques, including the utilisation of and behavior in chlorpyrifos exposed the male advertisement call. The Rana sphenocephala tadpoles. relative abundance index used in Belize ([email protected]) in turn follows the protocol of The Maya Books Received Forest Anuran Monitoring Program

(MAYAMON), an internationally funded By Tim Halliday monitoring project of the entire Central American Maya Forest Region (see • Colburn, E. A. (2004) Vernal Pools: www.mayamon.org). Such abundance Natural History and Conservation. data are adequate to detect pronounced McDonald & Woodward Publishing Co., Blacksburg, Virginia. (426 pp.) population trends (see papers by Jim Arrigoni, downloadable from the This comprehensive and meticulously- RANA and the US National Science MAYAMON website). The continued researched book is based on the Foundation grant DEB-0130273 helped use of a standard protocol will facilitate author’s extensive work on ephemeral support the publication of this issue. comparison between different sites cross pools in eastern North America. Every FROGLOG is the bi-monthly newsletter of the the globe. Our data will be forwarded to aspect of pond hydrology and chemistry Declining Amphibian Populations Task Force. the DAPTF database of anuran species is covered, together with detailed Articles on any subject relevant to the in South – East Asia. accounts of all components of flora and understanding of amphibian declines should The proposal, the preliminary report fauna. A chapter is devoted to be sent to: Jeanne McKay, Editor, Department and the final full project report will be amphibians. This is an invaluable of Biological Sciences, The Open University, available as a free download from the handbook for anyone setting out to work Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, U.K. project web site on neglected, fragile ephemeral ponds Tel: +44 (0) 1908 - 652274. Fax: +44 (0) 1908 - 654167 (www.projectkodok.org – up and and, most importantly, to conserve them. E-mail: [email protected] running in the near future). A summary • Marian Van Eyk McCain (2004) The paper will also be submitted to The Lilypad List: 7 steps to the simple life. Funding for FROGLOG is underwritten British Herpetological Society publication Findhorn Press, Scotland. (182 pp.) by the Detroit Zoological Institute, P.O.

The Herpetological Bulletin. In addition The author of this book, a Box 39, Royal Oak, MI 48068-0039, USA to this, an abridged copy of the report psychotherapist, has generously given will be sent to local education institutions royalties on its sale to the DAPTF. It in Borneo. The aim of this is to increase examines life in a pond, particularly that the awareness of local people of the of frogs, and presents it as a metaphor species that they are surrounded by and

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