Alytes dickhilleni

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	ALYTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Alytes dickhilleni

Species Authority:

Arntzen and García-París, 1995

Common Name/s:

English	–	Betic Midwife Toad
Spanish	–	Sapo Partero Bético

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable B2ab(iii,iv) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

Jaime Bosch, Miguel Tejedo, Miguel Lizana, Iñigo Martínez-Solano, Alfredo Salvador, Mario García-París, Ernesto Recuero Gil, Jan Willem Arntzen, Rafael Marquez, Carmen Diaz Paniagua, Richard Podloucky

Reviewer/s:

Cox, N. and Temple, H.J. (Global Amphibian Assessment)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Vulnerable, because its Area of Occupancy is less than 2,000 km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat and in the number of subpopulations.

History:

2004	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is restricted to the mountains of south-eastern Spain. It occurs at altitudes of 700-2,140m asl (Sierra Nevada, Almería).
Countries:	Native: Spain
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Populations of this species are very fragmented, many of them confined to isolated mountains and valleys. It is relatively common in the Alcaraz, Segura, and Cazorla mountains, but it is rare in drier mountains (Filabres, Baza, Gádor), where it is associated with springs. Populations in drier areas can consist of only a few adults.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	The species is present in pine and oak forests, most often on calciferous substrate, in open, very rocky landscapes. Adults occur in rock fissures and on stones next to water sources. Reproduction and larval development takes place in permanent mountain streams, man-made reservoirs and cattle troughs, and the larvae may take a long time to mature. Almost all known breeding habitats are human-modified water bodies.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

The species is present in pine and oak forests, most often on calciferous substrate, in open, very rocky landscapes. Adults occur in rock fissures and on stones next to water sources. Reproduction and larval development takes place in permanent mountain streams, man-made reservoirs and cattle troughs, and the larvae may take a long time to mature. Almost all known breeding habitats are human-modified water bodies.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The species is threatened by loss of suitable breeding habitat as a result of excessive water withdrawal, droughts, and modernization of agricultural practices leading to the abandonment of cattle troughs and other man-made water sources. A potential future threat is the fungal disease chytridiomycosis, which has already impacted the related Alytes obstetricans in Spain.

Major Threat(s):

The species is threatened by loss of suitable breeding habitat as a result of excessive water withdrawal, droughts, and modernization of agricultural practices leading to the abandonment of cattle troughs and other man-made water sources. A potential future threat is the fungal disease chytridiomycosis, which has already impacted the related Alytes obstetricans in Spain.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on Appendix II of the Bern Convention (as part of obstetricans). It is listed in regional Red Data Books and is present in the protected areas of Parque Nacional Sierra Morena, Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada, and the Natural Park of Cazorla, Segura y las Villas. Protection measures in Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia, such as restoration and construction of new breeding habitats, are under way.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on Appendix II of the Bern Convention (as part of obstetricans). It is listed in regional Red Data Books and is present in the protected areas of Parque Nacional Sierra Morena, Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada, and the Natural Park of Cazorla, Segura y las Villas. Protection measures in Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia, such as restoration and construction of new breeding habitats, are under way.

Citation:	Jaime Bosch, Miguel Tejedo, Miguel Lizana, Iñigo Martínez-Solano, Alfredo Salvador, Mario García-París, Ernesto Recuero Gil, Jan Willem Arntzen, Rafael Marquez, Carmen Diaz Paniagua, Richard Podloucky 2009. Alytes dickhilleni. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2013.
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