IUCN Red List Category: CR A3ce (Draft)
Taxonomy
| Animalia | Chordata | Vertebrata | Amphibia | Anura | Bufonidae | Atelopus | Atelopus mandingues |
Taxonomic notes: Section empty
Geographic Range
This species is known only from the type locality: Reserva Biológica Carpanta, Cundinamarca, Colombia, at an altitude of 2,900-3,350m asl.
Habitat
It lives in páramo and cloud forest, and does not tolerate habitat destruction. It reproduces in fast-flowing streams.
Population
This species was uncommon until 1990. A single pair was recorded in 1992; however, due to guerrilla activity, no one has subsequently returned to the original locality to look for it.
Threats
The most serious risk to this species is chytridiomycosis, which has had a devastating impact on other high-altitude species of Atelopus.
Conservation Actions
It occurs in the Reserva Biológica Carpanta, which borders Parque Nacional Natural Chingaza. Survey work is urgently needed to determine the population status of this species. In view of the severe risk of chytridiomycosis, ex-situ populations might need to be established.
Red List Rationale
Listed as Critically Endangered because of a projected population decline, estimated to be more than 80% over the next ten years, inferred from declines in other high altitude Atelopus species in the same region, probably due to chytridiomycosis.
Bibliography
- La Marca, E., Lips, K.R., Lötters, S., Puschendorf, R., Ibáñez, R., Rueda-Almonacid, J.V., Schulte, R., Marty, C., Castro, F., Manzanilla-Puppo, J., Garcia-Perez, J.E., Toral, E., Bolaños, F., Chaves, G., Pounds, J.A. and Young, B. 2005. Catastrophic population declines and extinctions in Neotropical harlequin frogs (Bufonidae: Atelopus). Biotropica: 190-201.
- Osorno Muñoz, M., Ardila-Robayo, M.C. and Ruiz-Carranza, P.M. 2001. Tres nuevas especie de Atelopus A. M. C. Dumeril & Bibron, 1841 (Aphibia: Bufonidae) de las partes altas de la Cordillera Oriental Colombiana. Caldasia: 509-522.
- Pounds, J.A., Bustamante, M.R., Coloma, L.A., Consuegra, J.A., Fogden, M.P.L., Foster, P.N., La Marca, E., Masters, K.L., Merino-Viteri, A., Puschendorf, R., Ron, S.R., Sánchez-Azofeifa, G.A., Still, C.J. and Young, B.E. 2006. Widespread amphibian extinctions from epidemic disease driven by global warming. Nature 439: 161-167.
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