Eleutherodactylus symingtoni

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	ELEUTHERODACTYLIDAE

Scientific Name:	Eleutherodactylus symingtoni
Species Authority:	Schwartz, 1957
Synonym/s:	Eleutherodactylus delacruzi (Estrada, Rodriguez and Moreno, 1986)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Critically Endangered A2ace;B2ab(iii,v);C1 ver 3.1
Year Published:	2004
Assessor/s:	Blair Hedges, Luis Díaz
Reviewer/s:	Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox and Bruce Young)
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, possibly due to disease; and because its Area of Occupancy is also less than 10km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and the extent of its habitat, and the number of mature individuals, in western Cuba is declining; and because its population size is estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals and it is estimated there will be a continuing decline of at least 25% within three years.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species was formerly known from upland areas throughout western Cuba in Pinar del Río and Matanzas Provinces, Cuba, but its range has now decreased significantly. It has been recorded from 70-155m asl.
Countries:	Native: Cuba
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is known from a relatively small number of scattered localities, and is considered to be a very rare species. There have been recent declines in the population, even in good habitat.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The species inhabits rocky areas and caves in lowland, mesic closed-canopy broadleaf forest. It has not been recorded outside forest habitat. It breeds by direct development.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The main threat is habitat loss due to infrastructure development for tourism, disturbance of the habitat by touristic activities, and agriculture. Two specimens collected in 2003 showed signs of disease, although the results of studies investigating which disease specifically are pending. However, declines within suitable habitat are suggestive of chytridiomycosis.

Major Threat(s):

The main threat is habitat loss due to infrastructure development for tourism, disturbance of the habitat by touristic activities, and agriculture. Two specimens collected in 2003 showed signs of disease, although the results of studies investigating which disease specifically are pending. However, declines within suitable habitat are suggestive of chytridiomycosis.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species occurs in a few protected areas, but there is insufficient management of these for conservation, and the habitat continues to be degraded. Improved protection of the existing protected areas network is needed, as is urgent research to determine the cause of the decline.

Conservation Actions:

This species occurs in a few protected areas, but there is insufficient management of these for conservation, and the habitat continues to be degraded. Improved protection of the existing protected areas network is needed, as is urgent research to determine the cause of the decline.

Bibliography [top]

	Gomez, A.R. and Alonso, R. 1999. Eleutherodactylus symingtoni. Hoja de datos del taxon. Informe Sección V: Anfibios. In: Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (ed.), Report on Conservation Assessment Plan Workshop for Selected Cuban Species, pp. 1-4. Conservation Breeding Specialists Group (SSC/IUCN), Minnesota. Hedges, S.B. 1993. Global amphibian declines: a perspective from the Caribbean. Biodiversity and Conservation: 290-303. Hedges, S.B. 1999. Distribution of amphibians in the West Indies. In: Duellman, W.E. (ed.), Patterns of Distribution of Amphibians. A Global Perspective, pp. 211-254. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Maryland. Hedges, S.B. 2001. Caribherp: database of West Indian amphibians and reptiles (http://www.caribherp.net). Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. Henderson, R.W. and Powell, R. 1999. West Indian herpetoecology. In: Crother, B.I. (ed.), Caribbean Amphibians and Reptiles, pp. 223-226. Academic Press, San Diego, California. Henderson, R.W. and Powell, R. 2001. Responses by the West Indian herpetofauna to human-influenced resources. Caribbean Journal of Science: 41-54. IUCN. 2004. 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 23 November 2004. Schwartz, A. 1957. A new species of Eleutherodactylus (Amphibia: Leptodactylidae) from Cuba. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington: 209-212. Schwartz, A. and Henderson, R.W. 1991. Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions and Natural History. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, Florida.

Gomez, A.R. and Alonso, R. 1999. Eleutherodactylus symingtoni. Hoja de datos del taxon. Informe Sección V: Anfibios. In: Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (ed.), Report on Conservation Assessment Plan Workshop for Selected Cuban Species, pp. 1-4. Conservation Breeding Specialists Group (SSC/IUCN), Minnesota.

Hedges, S.B. 1993. Global amphibian declines: a perspective from the Caribbean. Biodiversity and Conservation: 290-303.

Hedges, S.B. 1999. Distribution of amphibians in the West Indies. In: Duellman, W.E. (ed.), Patterns of Distribution of Amphibians. A Global Perspective, pp. 211-254. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, Maryland.

Hedges, S.B. 2001. Caribherp: database of West Indian amphibians and reptiles (http://www.caribherp.net). Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.

Henderson, R.W. and Powell, R. 1999. West Indian herpetoecology. In: Crother, B.I. (ed.), Caribbean Amphibians and Reptiles, pp. 223-226. Academic Press, San Diego, California.

Henderson, R.W. and Powell, R. 2001. Responses by the West Indian herpetofauna to human-influenced resources. Caribbean Journal of Science: 41-54.

IUCN. 2004. 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 23 November 2004.

Schwartz, A. 1957. A new species of Eleutherodactylus (Amphibia: Leptodactylidae) from Cuba. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington: 209-212.

Schwartz, A. and Henderson, R.W. 1991. Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions and Natural History. University of Florida Press, Gainesville, Florida.

Citation:	Blair Hedges, Luis Díaz 2004. Eleutherodactylus symingtoni. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
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