REVIEW OF NON-CITES AMPHIBIA SPECIES THAT ARE KNOWN OR LIKELY TO BE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE (Version edited for public release) Prepared for the European Commission Directorate General E - Environment ENV.E.2. – Development and Environment by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre November, 2007 Prepared and produced by: UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK ABOUT UNEP WORLD CONSERVATION MONITORING CENTRE www.unep-wcmc.org The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre is the biodiversity assessment and policy implementation arm of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world’s foremost intergovernmental environmental organisation. UNEP-WCMC aims to help decision-makers recognize the value of biodiversity to people everywhere, and to apply this knowledge to all that they do. The Centre’s challenge is to transform complex data into policy-relevant information, to build tools and systems for analysis and integration, and to support the needs of nations and the international community as they engage in joint programmes of action. UNEP-WCMC provides objective, scientifically rigorous products and services that include ecosystem assessments, support for implementation of environmental agreements, regional and global biodiversity information, research on threats and impacts, and development of future scenarios for the living world. Prepared for: The European Commission, Brussels, Belgium Prepared by: UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNEP or contributory organisations. The designations employed and the presentations do not imply the expressions of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP, the European Commission or contributory organisations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authority, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1. TRADE IN AMPHIBIANS .............................................................................................................. 4 1.2. AMPHIBIANS AND THE IUCN RED LIST ................................................................................... 5 1.3. THE IMPACT OF TRADE ON AMPHIBIANS ................................................................................... 6 1.4. SELECTION OF SPECIES FOR REVIEW ........................................................................................... 7 1.4.1. Current review (SRG 42) ................................................................................................... 7 1.4.2. Potential future review ...................................................................................................... 7 1.5. REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 19 2. SPECIES REVIEWS ................................................................................................................................ 20 2.1. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................ 20 SPECIES: Agalychnis annae ........................................................................................................ 22 SPECIES: Limnonectes macrodon ................................................................................................ 25 SPECIES: Neurergus kaiseri ........................................................................................................ 29 SPECIES: Neurergus microspilotus ............................................................................................. 32 SPECIES: Rana shqiperica ............................................................................................................ 34 SPECIES: Bolitoglossa dofleini ..................................................................................................... 38 SPECIES: Chacophrys pierottii .................................................................................................... 41 SPECIES: Heterixalus rutenbergi ................................................................................................ 44 SPECIES: Leptodactylus laticeps .................................................................................................. 46 SPECIES: Melanophryniscus fulvoguttatus ................................................................................ 50 SPECIES: Pachytriton labiatus .................................................................................................... 53 SPECIES: Paramesotriton hongkongensis .................................................................................... 55 SPECIES: Phyllomedusa sauvagii ................................................................................................ 59 ANNEX 1. Overview of amphibian species for which regional/international trade (threats 3.1.3, 3.2.3, 3.3.3., 3.4.3, and 3.5.3) may pose a major threat. .......................................................... 63 ANNEX 2. Country codes. .................................................................................................................... 67 INDEX OF TABLES Table 1. Summary table of CITES and/or EC-listed amphibians. .................................................. 4 Table 2. Overview of global exporter-reported trade in CITES Appendix II and/or EC Annex B amphibians between 1994-2006. ............................................................................................... 5 Table 3. Number of amphibian species within each of the IUCN Red List categories. ............... 6 Table 4. Non-CITES globally threatened amphibian species, with regional/international trade as major threat type. ...................................................................................................................... 9 Table 5. Non-CITES-listed amphibian species that are not considered globally threatened in the IUCN Red List but which are possibly threatened by international trade.................... 13 3 1. INTRODUCTION This report provides an analysis of amphibian species which are not listed in CITES but for which regional or international trade was considered to be a major threat in the 2007 IUCN Red List. In-depth reviews were undertaken for 13 species to see whether they meet the criteria for listing in any of Annexes A, B or D 1 of Council Regulation 338/97. 1.1. TRADE IN AMPHIBIANS Amphibians have been traded for food, the pet trade, medicinal products, etc. (Schlaepfer et al ., 2005; AmphibiaWeb, 2006; Carpenter et al ., 2007; Tyler et al . 2007). However, trade data are not generally available for most species, since only a small number of them are listed in CITES. It was noted by one author (Schlaepfer et al ., 2005) that the majority of the most heavily traded amphibians were not regulated by CITES (for instance, none of the 25 amphibian species most commonly traded by the US was listed). Unlike most countries, the United States records the imports and exports of all amphibians (Schlaepfer et al ., 2005). Although data are often not collected at the species level, they can, however, provide an overview of the trade in one market. Over two million amphibians were known to be imported into the US during 1970-1971; leopard frogs ( Rana pipiens ), fire newts (Cynops pyrrogaster ) and marine toads ( Bufo marinus ) were imported in the highest numbers (Busack, 1974). An estimated 200 million pairs of frogs’ legs were imported annually from Asia to the United States before 1987 (Pough et al ., 1998). During 1998-2002, the United States imported 14.7 million wild-caught amphibian specimens, and 5.2 million kg of wild-caught amphibian meat. The most frequently traded species were the American bullfrog ( Rana catesbeiana ) for the food trade and the African dwarf frog ( Hymenochirus curtipes ) and the oriental fire-bellied newt and toad ( Cynops orientalis and Bombina orientalis) for the pet trade (Schlaepfer et al ., 2005). A broader view of the international trade is only possible for those species listed in the CITES appendices. At present, 106 amphibian species are listed in CITES. A total of 16 species are listed in Appendix I and the remainder are listed in Appendix II, see Table 1. Recent trade (1994-2006) in CITES-listed amphibians is summarized in Table 3. Table 1. Summary table of CITES and/or EC-listed amphibians. Sources: Frost, 2004; EC Regulation No. 1332/2005. CITES EC Order Family Species Appendix Annex ANURA Bufonidae Altiphrynoides spp. I A Atelopus zeteki I A Bufo periglenes I A Bufo superciliaris I A Nectophrynoides spp. I A Nimbaphrynoides spp. I A Spinophrynoides spp. I A Dendrobatidae Allobates femoralis II B Allobates zaparo II B Dendrobates spp. II B Epipedobates spp. II B Minyobates spp. II B Phyllobates spp. II B Mantell idae Mantella spp. II B Microhylidae Dyscophus antongilii I A Scaphiophryne gottlebei II B Ranidae Conraua goliath - B Euphlyctis hexadactylus II B Hoplobatrachus tigerinus II B Rana catesbeiana - B 1 Annex C was not considered relevant as it includes only species listed in CITES Appendices II or III. 4 CITES EC Order Family Species Appendix Annex Rheobatrachidae Rheobatrachus silus II A Rheobatrachus vitellinus II B URODELA Ambystomidae