Rediscovery of the nearly extinct longnose harlequin frog Atelopus longirostris (Bufonidae) in Junín, Imbabura, Ecuador

Abstract

We report the recent finding of four adults of Atelopus longirostris, a Critically Endangered species that was last seen in 1989, when catastrophic Atelopus declines occurred. The rediscovery of A. longirostris took place in a new locality, Junín, 1250-1480 m asl, Provincia Imbabura, Ecuador, on 28-31 March 2016. The four frogs were found in two isolated small patches of native forest in a fragmented area heavily modified for agriculture and livestock; one patch protected by the Junín Community Reserve, and another non-protected private patch near the reserve. We found high prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in the amphibian community of Junín, but A. longirostris tested negative. The finding of A. longirostris after 27 years is surprising and fits an apparent pattern of mild conditions that might be promoting either the recovery or persistence in low numbers of some relict amphibian populations. The frogs are the first founders of an ex situ assurance colony in Jambatu Research and Conservation Center. Expansion of the Junín Community Reserve is urgently needed to add the currently non-protected patch of forest, where A. longirostris also occurs. The restoration of the forest in degraded areas between both forest patches and in the related river margins is also necessary. This restoration will grant the connectivity between both isolated metapopulations and the normal movement of individuals to the breeding sites in the Chalguayacu and Junín River basins. The latter should be protected to prevent any kind of water pollution by the opencast copper exploitation of the mining concession Llurimagua, which is underway. Atelopus longirostris belongs to a group of at least 29 species of Ecuadorian Atelopus that are critically endangered, 15 of which remain unsighted for at least one decade, and most of them might be extinct. Further synchronous, multidisciplinary and integrative research is needed, aiming to understand the most aspects of the biology of species of Atelopus to support in situ and ex situ conservation actions.

New mining concessions will severely decrease biodiversity and ecosystem services in Ecuador

“…Cotacachi is largely at high elevation (>2,500 m) at its southern end. The BPs discussed here extend protection into the critically endangered NW cloud forest zone and upper montane forests that occur between 900-2500 m. These are the habitats preferred by the most endangered species in our study, including the primates (Jack & Campos, 2012;Peck et al, 2010) cats (Zapata-Ríos & Araguillin, 2013), and bears (Castellanos, 2011), as well as the frogs (Arteaga et al, 2016;Tapia et al, 2017), birds (Jahn, 2008;Willig & Presley, 2016) and orchids (Endara et al 2009). We recommend that the entire Bosque Protector system be extended the same protections as the SNAP system, particularly with regards to prohibition of mining.…”

“…In 2016, researchers rediscovered the longnose harlequin frog ( Atelopus longirostris ) within the Junín Cloud Forest Reserve. This is an endemic species last seen in 1989 and previously listed as Extinct by the IUCN (Tapia et al, 2017). The rediscovery of the harlequin frog highlights the need for further research on amphibian diversity in the Intag.…”

“…The rates of endemism are greater in the mountains than in the lowlands that straddle them (Borchsenius, 1997;Pitman & Jorgensen, 2002). With such spatially limited endemism, even a single mining project threatens the survival of species, such as the critically endangered longnose harlequin frog ( Atelopus longirostris ), which is in danger of extinction by the Llurimagua mining project (Tapia, Coloma, Pazmiño-Otamendi, & Peñafiel, 2017).…”

The gastromyzophorous tadpoles of Atelopus elegans and A. palmatus (Anura: Bufonidae), with comments on oral and suction structures

“…Tapia et al [2]: Table 1). They are distributed in the tropical rainy and cloud forests, and along the paramos of Central and South America [2]. More than 90% of the species is either Endangered, Critically Endangered and/or Possibly extinct, and the rest are either Data Deficient, Non-threatened or not evaluated [2][3][4].…”

“…Atelopus is the largest genus of the bufonids with 96 species described to date [1], and many others awaiting description (e.g. Tapia et al [2]: Table 1). They are distributed in the tropical rainy and cloud forests, and along the paramos of Central and South America [2].…”