.... Un pequeño espacio para las ranas de Cristal ....
8/12/2010
Lost amphibians campaign. Searching the Saxicolous Glassfrog Centrolene petrophilum
THE CAMPAIGNS: CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
The diverse class of creatures known as Amphibia is the most threatened group of vertebrates on the planet. Habitat loss, disease and climate change have caused some species to vanish without a trace in a single breeding season; however, the status of many of the world’s amphibians is currently unknown due to limited and outdated research.
Over the next few months, CI is supporting expeditions by amphibian experts in 18 countries across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Led by members of IUCN’s Amphibian Specialist Group, the research teams are in search of around 40 species that haven’t been seen for over a decade. Although there is no guarantee of success, scientists are optimistic about the prospect of at least one rediscovery.
Whatever the results, the expedition findings will expand our global understanding of the threats to amphibians and bring us closer to finding solutions for their protection. Bold conservation efforts are not only critical for the future of many amphibians themselves, but also for the benefit of humans that rely on pest control, nutrient cycling and other services the animals provide.
Searching the saxicolous Glassfrog “Centrolene” petrophilum
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| Centrolene petrophilum. Photo cortesy: John D. Lynch |
Team Lead: Jhon Jairo Ospina-Sarria
Expedition Status: Leaving soon
Localities: Pajarito and Miraflores municipalities, Boyacá department
Saxiclous glassfrog. Last seen: 1985, Colombia
The Neotropical family Centrolenidae currently includes 148 species. They are nocturnal, epiphyllous, arboreal and deposit their eggs out of the water on vegetation overhanging streams, or on rocks above streams.This fauna has a high risk of extinction, probable related by their particular distribution in montane Andean streams and by the discovery of new pathogens (i.e. fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) considering that this group is a faithful representative of streams and usually they are one of the main communities of amphibians to be affected by the fungus.
Centrolene petrophilum (Ruiz-Carranza & Lynch 1991) occurs on the eastern flank of the northern cordillera Oriental in Boyacá Department, Colombia, between 1,600 and 2,200m asl. Currently, the species is considered as Endangered B1ab (iii) by the IUCN. Although the presence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in those areas has not been confirmed, this pathogen may be the cause of the eventual decline of some populations of amphibians previously reported in the area of Ce. petrophylum such Atelopus ebenoides marinkeli, Pristimantis carranguerorum Hyalinobatrachium esmeralda, Ce. hybrida and Ce. geckoideum. Ce. petrophilum was last recorded in 1985, then it is necessary to made efforts to confirm his presence in the historical areas, information that could contribute to the conservation of the species and his habitat.
En búsqueda de la rana de Cristal Saxicola
“Centrolene” petrophilum
La familia Centrolenidae es un clado grande y diverso, ampliamente distribuido en las regiones tropicales de Centro y Suramérica. En la actualidad el grupo está representado por alrededor de 148 especies en una amplia gama de hábitats, principalmente en la región montañosa andina. Dicha fauna presenta graves amenazas de extinción, en parte por las presiones efectuadas producto de las destrucción de las coberturas vegetales originales de los bosques andinos, por los cambios climáticos como el aumento de la temperatura global y por el descubrimiento de nuevos patógenos que los afectan como el hongo Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Condición que pueden aumentar la susceptibilidad de las especies que conforman la familia, si conocemos que dicho grupo es un fiel representante de la fauna que habita y se reproduce en los arroyos y que por lo general son unas de las principales comunidades de anfibios en ser afectados.
Centrolene petrophilum (Ruiz-Carranza & Lynch 1991) es una especie conocida para tres localidades en el departamento de Boyacá entre los 1600-2000 m, y actualmente está considerada por la IUCN como En peligro B1ab(iii). Aunque a la fecha no se ha demostrado la presencia de Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis en las localidades históricas de la especie, se considera que este patógeno puede ser la causa de la eventual desaparición de algunos anfibios como Atelopus ebenoides marinkeli, Pristimantis carranguerorum y Ce. geckoideum, especies reportadas para la zona donde otrora era común hallar a Ce. petrophilum. La especie fue registrada por última vez en 1985 para las localidades del material tipo, razón por la cual se hace necesario enfocar esfuerzos para determinar su presencia en las áreas conocidas, así como explorar zonas cercanas a las reportadas previamente. De no realizar esta labor, estaríamos ante el eventual desaprovechamiento en la oportunidad de reunir información que en conjunto contribuya a la conservación de la especie y su hábitat.
RESULTS
Unfortunately in our first expedition was not possible to find the species. It could be happen because the area is being affected by a very dry (unexpected) season. This is not a common situation in this area, characterized by its high humidity during most of the year. We had considered a second field trip in early October, because is it in this month that the rainy season begins, thus increasing the probability to find this species. Our review of the historical records (John Douglas Lynch fields notes) suggest us that is could be better to search the species at the midle of October, at the same days when the species was collected in 1985 (October 10-20, JDL fields notes).
Moreover, during this first expedition our team found some species of frogs unreported for several years (according with the ICN-catalogue) from the localities of Pajarito and Miraflores, Boyacá and Colombia: i.e.:
Pristimantis lynchi (only known from Páramo de Vijagual, Boyacá = locality of Vadohondo and Santander department; unregisterd 30 years ago)
Pristimantis carranguerorum (only know from the type locality and unregistered 16 years ago)
Pristimantis carranguerorum (only know from the type locality and unregistered 16 years ago)
Hyalinobatrachium esmeralda (listed as Endangered by IUCN 2010 and unregistered 8 years ago)
Dendropsophus garagoensis (only know from two localities; unregistred 19 years ago)
Centrolene audax (unregistred in Colombia 19 years ago; listed as Endangered by IUCN 2010)
Dendropsophus stingi (listed as Vulnerable by IUCN 2010; only know from the type locality and
Centrolene hybrida (unregistred 2 years ago).
Finally, we are glad to inform the discovery of a new species of saxicoulous Glassfrog of the genus Rulyrana and the report of range extension of Centrolene audax from the Boyacá deparment (previously known from Ecuador and the Putumayo department in Colombia and listed as ENDANGER by the UICN, 2010).
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| Hyalinobatrachium esmeralda (Ruiz-Carranza & Lynch, 1998) |
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| Centrolene audax (Lycnh & Duellman, 1973) |
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| Centrolene hybrida (Ruiz-Carranza & Lynch, 1991) |
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| Rulyrana sp. nov. |
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| Dendropsophus garagoensis & D. stingi (Kapplan, 1994) |
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| Pristimantis lynchi (Lynch, 1994) |
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| Pristimantis lynchi (Duellman & Simmons, 1977) |
OUR TEAM:
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| JOSE VICENTE RUEDA AT PAJARITO, BOYACÁ |
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| MARCO RADA AND MAURICIO RIVERA AT MIRAFLORES, BOYACÁ |
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| MAURICIO RIVERA AT VADOHONDO/PAJARITO, BOYACÁ |
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| JHON JAIRO SARRIA AT MIRAFLORES, BOYACÁ |
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| JHON JAIRO SARRIA AND THE TEAM AT PAJARITO, BOYACÁ |
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| MARVIN ANGANOI AT MIRAFLORES, BOYACÁ |
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| AT PAJARITO, BOYACÁ |
6/07/2009
Artículos Científicos y otros
-Rada, M. & Sánchez, S. 2005. Sapito Arlequín de Santander. Atelopus sp 9. pp. 145. En: Rueda-Almonacid J. V., Rodríguez-Maecha, J.V., La Marca, E., Lotters, S., Angulo, A. Serie Libretas de Campo (Ranas Arlequines). Conservación Internacional Colombia.
-Kahn, T. R., Rada, M., Sánchez, S. 2005. Sapito Arlequín de Holdrige. Atelopus senex. pp. 108. En: Rueda-Almonacid J. V., Rodríguez-Maecha, J.V., La Marca, E., Lotters, S., Angulo, A. Serie Libretas de Campo (Ranas Arlequines). Conservación Internacional Colombia.
-Rueda-Almonacid, J.V., M. Rada., S. J, Sánchez-Pacheco., A. A, Velásquez-Álvarez & A. Quevedo. 2006. Zootaxa. Two new and exceptional poison dart frogs of the genus Dendrobates (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from the northeastern flank of the cordillera Central of Colombia.
-Acosta, A., C. Huertas Salgado & M. Rada. 2006. Aproximación al conocimiento de los anfibios en un punto del Magdalena medio colombiano. Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.
-Rada, M., S. J, Sánchez-Pacheco & A. A, Velásquez-Álvarez. 2007. Some considerations about management and ex-situ care of glass frogs egg masses and tadpoles (Anura: Centrolenidae). Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.
-Grant, T. A. R. Acosta-Galvis., & M. Rada. 2007. A name for the new species of Allobates (Anura: Aromobatidae: Allobatinae) from the Magdalena Valley of Colombia. Copeia, (4): 844-854.
-Velásquez-Álvarez, A. A., M. Rada., S. J. Sánchez-Pacheco & A. Acosta. 2007. A new species of Glassfrog (Anura: Centrolenidae) from the western slope of cordillera Oriental, Colombia. South American Journal of Herpetology, 2 (3): 191-197.
-Rada, M., J.V., Rueda-Almonacid., A. A, Velásquez-Álvarez & S. J. Sánchez-Pacheco. 2007. Descripción de los renacuajos de dos centrolénidos (Anura: Centrolenidae) del noroccidente de la cordillera Oriental, Colombia. Papeis Avoulsos de Zoología, 47 (21): 259-272.
-Rada, M., & J. M. Guayasamín. 2008. Redescripción de Cochranella megistra (Rivero, 1985) y ampliación de la distribución de nueve ranas de cristal (Anura: Centrolenidae) en Colombia. Papeis Avoulsos de Zoología, 48 (12): 89-101.
-Cisneros-Heredia, D.F., Venegas, P.J., Rada, M., & Schulte R. 2008. A new species of glass frog (Anura: Centrolenidae) from the foothill Andean forest of Ecuador and Perú. Herpetologica, 64 (3): 341-353.
-Guayasamin, J. M., Castroviejo-Fisher, S., Trueb, L., Ayarzagüena, J., Rada, M. & Vilá, C. 2009. Phylogenetics systematics of Glassfrogs (Amphibia: Centrolenidae) and their sister taxon Allophryne ruthveni.
- Notes on the occurrence of Riama simotera (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) in Colombia. 2010. Herpetological Bulletin, 113: 11-13.
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