Craugastor milesi

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	ANURA	CRAUGASTORIDAE

Scientific Name:

Craugastor milesi

Species Authority:

(Schmidt, 1933)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Miles' Robber Frog

Synonym/s:

Eleutherodactylus milesi Schmidt, 1933

Taxonomic Notes:

This species was previously included in the genus Eleutherodactylus (Crawford and Smith 2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered A2ae ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

Cruz, G., Wilson, L.D., Kolby, J.E., McCranie, J. & Angulo, A.

Reviewer/s:

Cox, N. & Hoffmann, M.

Justification:
Listed as Critically Endangered because of a drastic population decline, estimated to be more than 80% over the last ten years, inferred from the apparent disappearance of most of the population (perhaps due to chytridiomycosis).

History:

2004

–

Extinct

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from west and northwest Honduras. It is recorded from Cerro Azul in Copán Department, and from Montaña del Cusuco (National Park) and Montaña del Merendón (west of San Pedro Sula) in the Department of Cortés, within the Sierras of Espíritu Santo and Omoa. The species is found at elevations of 1,050-1,841 m asl.
Countries:	Native: Honduras
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It was formerly relatively common, but underwent a precipitous decline. This species had not been seen alive since 1983 (Kolby and McCranie 2009), and repeated attempts to relocate this frog in appropriate habitat and weather conditions in Parque Nacional Cusuco between 1992 and 1996 were unsuccessful. It was considered to be Extinct until an individual was recently (2008) recorded from Cusuco National Park (Kolby and McCranie 2009).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

It was formerly relatively common, but underwent a precipitous decline. This species had not been seen alive since 1983 (Kolby and McCranie 2009), and repeated attempts to relocate this frog in appropriate habitat and weather conditions in Parque Nacional Cusuco between 1992 and 1996 were unsuccessful. It was considered to be Extinct until an individual was recently (2008) recorded from Cusuco National Park (Kolby and McCranie 2009).

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This is a leaf-litter species found along streams in pre-montane and lower montane wet forest. The species breeds by direct development.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	While the species is clearly threatened by habitat loss and degradation (largely resulting from the conversion of forest to subsistence agricultural use), this does not explain the sudden disappearance of populations from areas of pristine forest (namely Parque Nacional Cusuco). It seems possible that factors related to declines in other montane frog species, such as chytridiomycosis and climate change, might have contributed to the species' decline. Although this species undergoes direct development, its affinity towards streamside habitats creates a heightened risk for chytridiomycosis. In 2008, Plectrohyla dasypus larvae infected with amphibian chytrid fungus were recorded from the same stream area where this species was rediscovered. The single adult male C. milesi recorded in 2008 tested negative for chytrid infection by PCR analysis (Kolby and McCranie 2009). It is hopeful that a small population of resistant individuals may persist in Cusuco National Park, but even so, the existence of this species remains in jeopardy. Shortly after making this discovery, a large treefall crashed onto the site where C. milesi was found, demolishing the understorey vegetation and altering the forest patch (J.E. Kolby pers. comm. November 2008). Almost no original forest occurs at Cerro Azul and there is none remaning at the Merendón locality (J. McCranie pers. comm. October 2009).

Major Threat(s):

While the species is clearly threatened by habitat loss and degradation (largely resulting from the conversion of forest to subsistence agricultural use), this does not explain the sudden disappearance of populations from areas of pristine forest (namely Parque Nacional Cusuco). It seems possible that factors related to declines in other montane frog species, such as chytridiomycosis and climate change, might have contributed to the species' decline. Although this species undergoes direct development, its affinity towards streamside habitats creates a heightened risk for chytridiomycosis. In 2008, Plectrohyla dasypus larvae infected with amphibian chytrid fungus were recorded from the same stream area where this species was rediscovered. The single adult male C. milesi recorded in 2008 tested negative for chytrid infection by PCR analysis (Kolby and McCranie 2009). It is hopeful that a small population of resistant individuals may persist in Cusuco National Park, but even so, the existence of this species remains in jeopardy. Shortly after making this discovery, a large treefall crashed onto the site where C. milesi was found, demolishing the understorey vegetation and altering the forest patch (J.E. Kolby pers. comm. November 2008). Almost no original forest occurs at Cerro Azul and there is none remaning at the Merendón locality (J. McCranie pers. comm. October 2009).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species has been recorded within the Parque Nacional Cusuco and Parque Nacional Cerro Azul. Despite occurring within these protected areas, this species still experienced dramatic population declines for unknown reasons (J.E. Kolby pers. comm. November 2008). Further research is required to determine the status of the surviving population at Cusuco National Park.

Conservation Actions:

This species has been recorded within the Parque Nacional Cusuco and Parque Nacional Cerro Azul. Despite occurring within these protected areas, this species still experienced dramatic population declines for unknown reasons (J.E. Kolby pers. comm. November 2008). Further research is required to determine the status of the surviving population at Cusuco National Park.

Bibliography [top]

	Campbell, J.A. 1994. New species of Eleutherodactylus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) of the milesi group from Guatemala. Herpetologica: 398-411. Crawford, A.J. and Smith, E.N. 2005. Cenozoic biogeography and evolution in direct-developing frogs of Central America (Leptodactylidae: Eleutherodactylus) as inferred from a phylogenetic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution: 536-555. IUCN. 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2009.2). Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 3 November 2009). Kolby, J.E. and McCranie, J.R. 2009. The discovery of a surviving population of the Montane Streamside Frog Craugastor milesi (Schmidt). Herpetological Review 40(3): 282-283. McCranie, J.R. and Wilson, L.D. 1997. A review of the Eleutherodactylus milesi-like frogs (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Honduras with the description of four new species. Alytes: 147-174. McCranie, J.R. and Wilson, L.D. 2002. The Amphibians of Honduras. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Ithaca, New York, USA. McCranie, J.R., Savage, J.M. and Wilson, L.D. 1989. Description of two new species of the Eleutherodactylus milesi group (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae) from northern Honduras. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington: 483-490. Savage, J.M. 2000. A new species of rainfrog of the Eleutherodactylus milesi species group (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Guatemala. Revista de Biologia Tropical: 993-999. Schmidt, K.P. 1933. New reptiles and amphibians from Honduras. Zoological Series of Field Museum of Natural History: 15-22. Than, K. 2008. "Extinct" Frog Found in Honduras, Experts Say. Available at: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/09/080926-extinct-chytrid-frog-honduras-missions.html. (Accessed: October 28). Townsend, J.H., Wilson, L.D., Talley, B.L., Fraser, D.C., Plenderleith, T.L. and Hughes, S.M. 2006. Additions to the herpetofauna of Parque Nacional El Cusuco, Honduras. Herpetological Bulletin 96: 29-39.

Campbell, J.A. 1994. New species of Eleutherodactylus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) of the milesi group from Guatemala. Herpetologica: 398-411.

Crawford, A.J. and Smith, E.N. 2005. Cenozoic biogeography and evolution in direct-developing frogs of Central America (Leptodactylidae: Eleutherodactylus) as inferred from a phylogenetic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution: 536-555.

IUCN. 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2009.2). Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 3 November 2009).

Kolby, J.E. and McCranie, J.R. 2009. The discovery of a surviving population of the Montane Streamside Frog Craugastor milesi (Schmidt). Herpetological Review 40(3): 282-283.

McCranie, J.R. and Wilson, L.D. 1997. A review of the Eleutherodactylus milesi-like frogs (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from Honduras with the description of four new species. Alytes: 147-174.

McCranie, J.R. and Wilson, L.D. 2002. The Amphibians of Honduras. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Ithaca, New York, USA.

McCranie, J.R., Savage, J.M. and Wilson, L.D. 1989. Description of two new species of the Eleutherodactylus milesi group (Amphibia: Anura: Leptodactylidae) from northern Honduras. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington: 483-490.

Savage, J.M. 2000. A new species of rainfrog of the Eleutherodactylus milesi species group (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Guatemala. Revista de Biologia Tropical: 993-999.

Schmidt, K.P. 1933. New reptiles and amphibians from Honduras. Zoological Series of Field Museum of Natural History: 15-22.

Than, K. 2008. "Extinct" Frog Found in Honduras, Experts Say. Available at: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/09/080926-extinct-chytrid-frog-honduras-missions.html. (Accessed: October 28).

Townsend, J.H., Wilson, L.D., Talley, B.L., Fraser, D.C., Plenderleith, T.L. and Hughes, S.M. 2006. Additions to the herpetofauna of Parque Nacional El Cusuco, Honduras. Herpetological Bulletin 96: 29-39.

Citation:	Cruz, G., Wilson, L.D., Kolby, J.E. & Angulo, A. 2009. Craugastor milesi. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
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