Using data for 25,780 species categorized on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, we present an assessment of the status of the world’s vertebrates. One-fifth of species are classified as Threatened, and we show that this figure is increasing: On average, 52 species of mammals, birds, and amphibians move one category closer to extinction each year. However, this overall pattern conceals the impact of conservation successes, and we show that the rate of deterioration would have been at least one-fifth again as much in the absence of these. Nonetheless, current conservation efforts remain insufficient to offset the main drivers of biodiversity loss in these groups: agricultural expansion, logging, overexploitation, and invasive alien species

Most Chilean amphibians belong to the subfamily Telmatobiinae (Anura, Leptodactylidae). Several phylogenetic studies of Leptodactylidae and Telmatobiinae, based principally on morphological characters, have implicitly suggested closer relationships of some species of the Telmatobiinae with members of other subfamilies of leptodactylids, including the leptodactyline genus Pleurodema which is present in Chile. Furthermore, a growing number of molecular studies suggest a non monophyletic status for Telmatobiinae, although none of these studies have investigated the phylogenetic relationships of this subfamily. We compared partial sequences of the ribosomal mitochondrial genes 12S and 16S to determine the phylogenetic relationships of Chilean leptodactylids and its position within the modern anurans (Neobatrachia). We included 22 species from nine of the 10 genera of telmatobiines present in Chile (Alsodes, Atelognathus, Batrachyla, Caudiverbera, Eupsophus, Hylorina, Insuetophrynus, Telmatobufo and Telmatobius), two species of the genus Pleurodema, and one species of Rhinodermatidae, which is considered a leptodactylid derivative family by some authors. We also included 51 species representing most of the families that compose Neobatrachia. Phylogenetic reconstructions were performed using the methods of maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The topologies obtained in all the analyses indicate that Telmatobiinae is a polyphyletic assemblage, composed by species belonging to Hyloidea (most of the genera) and species more related to Australasian taxa (the clade Caudiverbera + Telmatobufo, defined as the tribe Calyptocephalellini). These molecular data support groups based on other kinds of evidence (Caudiverbera + Telmatobufo, Alsodes + Eupsophus and Batrachyla + Hylorina) and raise new phylogenetic hypotheses for several genera of telmatobiines (Atelognathus with Batrachyla and Hylorina, Insuetophrynus + Rhinoderma). The phylogenetic relationships recovered in this study suggest a multiple origin for Chilean temperate forest frogs and reveal an unexpected level of taxonomic diversity and evolutionary divergence among Chilean leptodactylids.Key words: Telmatobiinae, Calyptocephalellini, Rhinodermatidae, ribosomal mitochondrial genes, phylogenetic reconstruction. RESUMENLa mayoría de los anfibios chilenos pertenece a la subfamilia Telmatobiinae (Anura, Leptodactylidae). Varios estudios filogenéticos de Leptodactylidae y Telmatobiinae, basados principalmente en caracteres morfológicos, han sugerido implícitamente relaciones más estrechas de algunas especies de Telmatobiinae con miembros de otras subfamilias de leptodactílidos, incluyendo el género leptodactilino Pleurodema presente en Chile. Además, un número creciente de estudios moleculares sugieren un estatus no monofilético para Telmatobiinae, aunque ninguno de estos estudios ha investigado las relaciones filogenéticas de esta subfamilia. Secuencias parciales de los genes ribosomales mitocondriales 12S y 16S fueron comparadas para de...

Darwin’s frogs (Rhinoderma darwinii and R. rufum) are two species of mouth-brooding frogs from Chile and Argentina. Here, we present evidence on the extent of declines, current distribution and conservation status of Rhinoderma spp.; including information on abundance, habitat and threats to extant Darwin’s frog populations. All known archived Rhinoderma specimens were examined in museums in North America, Europe and South America. Extensive surveys were carried out throughout the historical ranges of R. rufum and R. darwinii from 2008 to 2012. Literature review and location data of 2,244 archived specimens were used to develop historical distribution maps for Rhinoderma spp. Based on records of sightings, optimal linear estimation was used to estimate whether R. rufum can be considered extinct. No extant R. rufum was found and our modelling inferred that this species became extinct in 1982 (95% CI, 1980–2000). Rhinoderma darwinii was found in 36 sites. All populations were within native forest and abundance was highest in Chiloé Island, when compared with Coast, Andes and South populations. Estimated population size and density (five populations) averaged 33.2 frogs/population (range, 10.2–56.3) and 14.9 frogs/100 m2 (range, 5.3–74.1), respectively. Our results provide further evidence that R. rufum is extinct and indicate that R. darwinii has declined to a much greater degree than previously recognised. Although this species can still be found across a large part of its historical range, remaining populations are small and severely fragmented. Conservation efforts for R. darwinii should be stepped up and the species re-classified as Endangered.

The amphibian genus Telmatobius is a diverse group of species that inhabits the Andes. This study analysed the phylogenetic relationships of 19 species described from the central Andes of Chile and Bolivia, and 12 undescribed populations of Chile. A molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial DNA 16S and cytochrome b shows that the Chilean species belong to three groups: (1) the Telmatobius marmoratus group, widespread in the Chilean and Bolivian Altiplano; (2) the Telmatobius hintoni group, including the species Telmatobius philippii, Telmatobius fronteriensis, and Telmatobius huayra, occurring in the south‐western Altiplano of Chile and Bolivia, and (3) the Telmatobius zapahuirensis group, a new clade which also includes Telmatobius chusmisensis, Telmatobius dankoi, and Telmatobius vilamensis, restricted to western slopes of the Andes, and which was recovered as more closely related to the T. hintoni group than the T. marmoratus group. The divergence times between clades were traced to the late Pleistocene. The molecular phylogeny also confirmed that the groups of the Altiplano and western Andes slopes form a clade separated from the species that inhabit the eastern Andes (Telmatobius verrucosus and Telmatobius bolivianus groups), supporting the forest origin of the Altiplano groups proposed by several previous authors. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London

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