Agalychnis annae

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	ANURA	HYLIDAE

Scientific Name:

Agalychnis annae

Species Authority:

Duellman, 1963

Common Name/s:

English

–

Blue-sided Treefrog

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Endangered A2abe ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2008
Assessor/s	Alan Pounds, Federico Bolaños, Gerardo Chaves
Evaluator/s:	Stuart, S.N., Chanson, J.S., Cox, N.A. & Young, B.E. (Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team)
Justification: Listed as Endangered because of a drastic population decline, estimated to be more than 50% since 1990, inferred from the apparent disappearance of much of the population.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species occurs in the northern Cordillera de Talamanca, Cordillera de Tilarán and Cordillera Central, Costa Rica, at 780-1,650m. However, it has disappeared from most parts of its range, surviving mainly around San José only.
Countries:	Native: Costa Rica
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Since the late 1980s, it has disappeared from pristine areas, including in protected areas such as Parque Nacional Tapantí and the Reserva Biológica Monteverde, where it was once common. It remains common only in highly altered habitats in metropolitan San José.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This is a nocturnal species that lives in premontane moist and wet forests and rainforest, and tolerates disturbance to its habitat. It remains the most abundant species in San José and suburbs near heavily polluted streams, especially in shade-grown coffee plantations and gardens. It breeds in streams.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Despite the apparent adaptability of this species, it is nonetheless subject to unconfirmed factors that have caused amphibian faunas to decline in certain locations in Central America, in particular the fungal disease, chytridiomycosis. It is possible that this species survives only in polluted areas because the chytrid fungus is more susceptible to pollution than the frog. The few, known remaining populations of this species are threatened by an introduced fish (Xiphophorus hellerii) that preys on the larvae. This species is also found in the international pet trade.

Major Threat(s):

Despite the apparent adaptability of this species, it is nonetheless subject to unconfirmed factors that have caused amphibian faunas to decline in certain locations in Central America, in particular the fungal disease, chytridiomycosis. It is possible that this species survives only in polluted areas because the chytrid fungus is more susceptible to pollution than the frog. The few, known remaining populations of this species are threatened by an introduced fish (Xiphophorus hellerii) that preys on the larvae. This species is also found in the international pet trade.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Research is needed to determine whether or not this species can survive only in polluted areas, because of the ineffectiveness of the chytrid fungus in such environments. If this proves to be the case, then well-meaning conservation measures to abate water pollution could unintentionally lead to the extinction of this species. Given the nature of the threats, it may be worth considering the establishment of a captive-breeding programme for this species.

Conservation Actions:

Research is needed to determine whether or not this species can survive only in polluted areas, because of the ineffectiveness of the chytrid fungus in such environments. If this proves to be the case, then well-meaning conservation measures to abate water pollution could unintentionally lead to the extinction of this species. Given the nature of the threats, it may be worth considering the establishment of a captive-breeding programme for this species.

Citation:	Alan Pounds, Federico Bolaños, Gerardo Chaves 2008. Agalychnis annae. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 04 December 2008.
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