Pseudoeurycea goebeli

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	CAUDATA	PLETHODONTIDAE

Scientific Name:	Pseudoeurycea goebeli
Species Authority:	(Schmidt, 1936)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Critically Endangered A2ac ver 3.1
Year Published:	2004
Assessor/s:	Manuel Acevedo, David Wake, Sean Rovito, Carlos Vasquez
Reviewer/s:	Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox and Bruce Young)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Listed as Critically Endangered because populations have declined by greater than 80% over the last 10 years, based on direct observation and ongoing habitat loss.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species occurs in the Soconusco area, in Chiapas, Mexico, eastward to the Volcán Chicabal in Guatemala, at an altitude of 2,400-2,900m asl.
Countries:	Native: Guatemala; Mexico
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It was formerly a common species, but has undergone declines in recent years. Recent surveys (2005 and 2006) at Volcán Chicabal and at San Marcos revealed a single specimen from Volcán Chicabal, and no specimens from San Marcos (Sean Rovito and Carlos Vásquez pers. comm. 2007), despite it being once one of the most abundant species at those same localities in Guatemala (collected many times in consistently large numbers). The declines in population do not seem to be linked to habitat modification.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

It was formerly a common species, but has undergone declines in recent years. Recent surveys (2005 and 2006) at Volcán Chicabal and at San Marcos revealed a single specimen from Volcán Chicabal, and no specimens from San Marcos (Sean Rovito and Carlos Vásquez pers. comm. 2007), despite it being once one of the most abundant species at those same localities in Guatemala (collected many times in consistently large numbers). The declines in population do not seem to be linked to habitat modification.

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It inhabits pine-oak and upper cloud forest, where it is strictly terrestrial and can tolerate only very limited habitat disturbance. It breeds by direct development and is not dependent upon water.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The decline in the population of this species is enigmatic, with further research needed to determine the cause. The species is additionally threatened by the alteration and clear-cutting of its habitat, due to urbanization, human settlement (refugees), and agricultural expansion (including livestock farming).

Major Threat(s):

The decline in the population of this species is enigmatic, with further research needed to determine the cause. The species is additionally threatened by the alteration and clear-cutting of its habitat, due to urbanization, human settlement (refugees), and agricultural expansion (including livestock farming).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It has been previously recorded from the Volcán Chicabal Reserve in Guatemala, but was not found on a recent visit (Carlos Vásquez and Sean Rovito pers. comm. 2007). Habitat protection is an urgent priority. The species is in need of close population monitoring, and research is urgently needed into the population decline. This species is listed as "Threatened" (Amenazada) by the Mexican government.

Conservation Actions:

It has been previously recorded from the Volcán Chicabal Reserve in Guatemala, but was not found on a recent visit (Carlos Vásquez and Sean Rovito pers. comm. 2007). Habitat protection is an urgent priority. The species is in need of close population monitoring, and research is urgently needed into the population decline. This species is listed as "Threatened" (Amenazada) by the Mexican government.

Citation:	Manuel Acevedo, David Wake, Sean Rovito, Carlos Vasquez 2004. Pseudoeurycea goebeli. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2013.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided