Endemic Ecuadorian glassfrog Cochranella mache is Critically Endangered because of habitat loss

Abstract

Amphibians are one of the most threatened animal groups. In the Family Centrolenidae c. 50% of the species are declining and threatened with extinction. One of these is the glassfrog Cochranella mache, endemic to seasonal evergreen forests of the West Ecuadorian region and restricted to highly fragmented forest of , 100 km 2 in the Cordillera Mache-Chindul, northwestern coastal Ecuador, at 100-640 m. We surveyed this region to elucidate the distribution and conservation status of C. mache. We located it in three new localities and also found a museum specimen from a further new locality. We recommend that the species should be categorized as Critically Endangered because of the continuous and progressive destruction of its increasingly fragmented habitat. Recent surveys of glassfrog species sympatric with C. mache showed low relative abundances compared to surveys in the 1970s and 1980s. Because of the relationship between forest and local climate we suggest that gradual declines of lowland glassfrog populations may be caused by local climate changes produced by forest destruction. In situ conservation is required to halt and mitigate these impacts. Further research on the effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, and associated climate changes on Neotropical amphibians is required.

Evaluating multiple causes of amphibian declines of Ecuador using geographical quantitative analyses

“…At a global geographic scale, Sodhi et al (2008) showed that small ranging species that experienced high habitat loss and, marked seasonality in temperature and precipitation tended to be Red-Listed by IUCN. Taken together our research suggests that while habitat loss may be a crucial factor aff ecting biodiversity decline (Bickford et al 2008, Cooper et al 2008) and it may have contributed to amphibian declines of many species in Ecuador (Cisneros-Heredia et al 2010), habitat loss alone cannot explain the rapid and enigmatic declines that have occurred since the mid of 1980s.…”

“…For instance, Ron et al (2003) suggested that unusual weather conditions may have played an important role in the decline of jambato toad, Atelopus ignescens , an endemic species to the Ecuadorian Andes. Cisneros-Heredia et al (2010) attributed the critically endangered status of the Ecuadorian glassfrog Cochranella mache to extensive deforestation in western Ecuador.…”

“…Chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis , has been implicated in the declines, and sometimes mass die-off s, of amphibian populations in Neotropical regions and around the world (Daszak et al 2003, Lips et al 2006, Skerratt et al 2007, Fisher et al 2009, James et al 2009). However, several other factors such as climate change (Donnelly and Crump 1998, Pounds et al 1999, R ö dder et al 2010) and habitat destruction (Cisneros-Heredia et al 2010) may also be directly and indirectly responsible for declines. For instance, Ron et al (2003) suggested that unusual weather conditions may have played an important role in the decline of jambato toad, Atelopus ignescens , an endemic species to the Ecuadorian Andes.…”

Novel Data on the Ecology of Cochranella mache (Anura: Centrolenidae) and the Importance of Protected Areas for This Critically Endangered Glassfrog in the Neotropics

“…Although the known range of C. mache is encompassed by protected areas, it is globally listed as Critically Endangered, because its extent of occurrence is considered to be less than 5000 km 2 in five locations, where habitat undergoes constant extent declines, and its natural history remains poorly understood [16]. However, Ron et al .…”

New records of four reptile species (Lepidosauria, Squamata) from the province of Guayas, southwestern Ecuador

“…Although our knowledge of the diversity and natural history of reptiles in western Ecuador is limited, important herpetological discoveries have been made in recent years, such as new species and significant expansion of the geographic range extensions of previously recorded species (e.g. Jadin et al 2009;Cisneros-Heredia et al 2010;Ortega-Andrade et al 2010;Passos et al 2012;Torres-Carvajal et al 2012, 2015Ayala-Varela et al 2014;Yánez-Muñoz et al 2014Cisneros-Heredia and Romero 2015;Pyron et al 2015;Salazar-Valenzuela et al 2015;Cruz-García 2017;Cruz et al 2017;Arteaga et al 2017Arteaga et al , 2018Reyes-Puig et al 2019).…”