Aromobates alboguttatus

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	AROMOBATIDAE

Scientific Name:

Aromobates alboguttatus

Species Authority:

(Boulenger, 1903)

Common Name/s:

Spanish

–

Sapito De Niebla De Garganta Blanca

Synonym/s:

Colostethus inflexus Rivero, 1980 "1978"

Nephelobates alboguttatus (Boulenger, 1903)

Taxonomic Notes:

Aromobates inflexus was synonymized with this species by Frost (1985), but was revived in Myers, Paolillo and Daly (1991) and La Marca (1997). Although officially still in the synonymy of Aromobates alboguttatus, A. inflexus might prove to be a distinct species.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

Enrique La Marca, Juan Elías García-Pérez

Reviewer/s:

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

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Endangered, because its Extent of Occurrence is less than 5,000 km2 and its Area of Occupancy is less than 500 km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat, and in the number of mature individuals.

History:

2004

–

Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from the Andes of Mérida State, Venezuela, from 1,600-3,090m asl.
Countries:	Native: Venezuela
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is a rare species and has been in decline in recent years.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It occurs in clear, fast-flowing streams in Andean cloud forests. The eggs are laid on land and the male protects the eggs. When they are hatched, the male carries the larvae on his back to water where they develop further.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Some of the original environments occupied by this frog in the vicinities of the city of Mérida, in the Cordillera de Mérida, have been drastically changed by human activities, particularly due to agricultural expansion, for both crops and livestock. Much of the remaining habitat is severely fragmented. Introduced trout prey on the larvae of this species. However, this species is also declining in undisturbed habitats, which suggests an additional threat, possibly disease (such as chytridiomycosis).

Major Threat(s):

Some of the original environments occupied by this frog in the vicinities of the city of Mérida, in the Cordillera de Mérida, have been drastically changed by human activities, particularly due to agricultural expansion, for both crops and livestock. Much of the remaining habitat is severely fragmented. Introduced trout prey on the larvae of this species. However, this species is also declining in undisturbed habitats, which suggests an additional threat, possibly disease (such as chytridiomycosis).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Some populations are protected within national parks (Sierra Nevada and Sierra de la Culata). However, the existing protected areas network requires expansion to ensure the protection of suitable cloud forest habitats for this species. Further research is required to establish the reasons for the species' decline in apparently suitable habitat, and to determine whether chytrid poses a threat.

Conservation Actions:

Some populations are protected within national parks (Sierra Nevada and Sierra de la Culata). However, the existing protected areas network requires expansion to ensure the protection of suitable cloud forest habitats for this species. Further research is required to establish the reasons for the species' decline in apparently suitable habitat, and to determine whether chytrid poses a threat.

Citation:	Enrique La Marca, Juan Elías García-Pérez 2010. Aromobates alboguttatus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2013.
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