Atelopus peruensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	ANURA	BUFONIDAE

Scientific Name:	Atelopus peruensis
Species Authority:	Gray and Cannatella, 1985

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Critically Endangered A2ace ver 3.1

Year Published:

2006

Assessor/s:

Rainer Schulte, Antonio Salas, Ariadne Angulo, Stefan Lötters, Ulrich Sinsch, Alfonso Miranda Leiva

Reviewer/s:

Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox and Bruce Young)

Contributor/s:

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 (probably due to chytridiomycosis).

History:

2004

–

Critically Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known only from the northern Peruvian Andes near the surroundings of Celendin, Abra Comulica, San Miguel de Pallaques and Province of Hualgayoc, all in the Departamento Cajamarca; it is (or was) present at Charco (3,700m asl), Huari, Departamento Ancash, and also in the Departamento Piura. Its altitudinal range is from 2,800-4,200m asl.
Countries:	Possibly extinct: Peru
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species was very abundant until 1992, but there appears to have been a decline since then, and several populations, one of them at Cajamarca-Celendín, are believed to have disappeared (R. Schulte pers. comm.).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It inhabits puna and "sub-puna" (high altitude) habitats, with scattered tussock grass and Baccharis sp. They are sensitive to habitat degradation. Breeding takes place in streams, with larvae adhering to the undersides of large (30-50cm) rocks in swiftly flowing streams at a depth of approximately 30cm.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The major threat is likely to be chytridiomycosis, leading to a catastrophic population decline, as has occurred in many other montane species of Atelopus. The chytrid pathogen has yet to be found in this species, but the disease is known to be spreading in northern Peru, and the declines already reported are likely to be related to this disease. It has previously been reported in the pet trade, although this appears to have stopped. A population in Cajamarca was lost due to water contamination from activities at a nearby gold mine.

Major Threat(s):

The major threat is likely to be chytridiomycosis, leading to a catastrophic population decline, as has occurred in many other montane species of Atelopus. The chytrid pathogen has yet to be found in this species, but the disease is known to be spreading in northern Peru, and the declines already reported are likely to be related to this disease. It has previously been reported in the pet trade, although this appears to have stopped. A population in Cajamarca was lost due to water contamination from activities at a nearby gold mine.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species occurs in Parque Nacional Huascarán, and might be present in Reserva Nacional Callipuy, and Santuario Nacional Callipuy. Disease management and captive-breeding programmes appear necessary given the threat of chytridiomycosis.

Conservation Actions:

This species occurs in Parque Nacional Huascarán, and might be present in Reserva Nacional Callipuy, and Santuario Nacional Callipuy. Disease management and captive-breeding programmes appear necessary given the threat of chytridiomycosis.

Citation:	Rainer Schulte, Antonio Salas, Ariadne Angulo, Stefan Lötters, Ulrich Sinsch, Alfonso Miranda Leiva 2006. Atelopus peruensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2013.
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