- Rancho Grande Harlequin Frog
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Habitat: During the dry seasons these amphibians choose to live near freshwater streams where there is surrounding vegetation. Streams are the perfect location for them to breed. Their main habitat is located on the mountain slopes in Cordillera de la Costa of Venezuela. They are not just located in that general area. These frogs live in Carabobo, Distrito Federal, Yaracuy, Miranda Estadoes Aragua, and Vargas. They are also known to live in Estado Cojedes as well as in Azul. Because of where they have been found, scientists believe that the proper habitat for these frogs is along the mountains on the coast of Venezuela.
Ecological Role: The main sources of food for the Rancho Grande Harlequin Frog are ants and other small insects. With ants and other insects being their source of food, these frogs keep the rapidly growing insect population in check. Their main source of food is similar to what their relatives eat as well.
Population and Conservation Status: Searches have been conducted for this animal in 2004 and then again in 2008. Before then, in 1986, a small population of them was found, thus proving that these rare and endangered amphibians were not extinct. Both searches in 2004 and 2008 found two different populations of them in two different areas. In 2008 are located in the national parks Parque Nacional Henri Pittier, Parque Nacional Rancho Grande and Parque Nacional San Esteban. In 2004 they were found in a small population near a down flowing stream on a mountain side in Venezuela. Why are the populations declining? Habitat loss is only a small part of it. It is suspected that these frogs are becoming more and more endangered due to prolonged droughts in that area, flooding if the rains come hard and suddenly (remember, their habitat is along streams and riverbanks), as well as climate change, and sudden harsh exposure to ultraviolet rays coming from the sun. If the climate changes suddenly, the frogs might not be able to adapt to the glare of the sun (UV rays cause sunburn and rash) and die. These are just theories. Not all of them have been proven as of yet.
Rancho Grande Harlequin Frog Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Family: Bufonidae Genus: Atelopus Species: A. cruciger Binomial name Atelopus cruciger
(Lichtenstein & Martens, 1856)The Rancho Grande Harlequin Frog or Sapito Rayado (Atelopus cruciger) is a species of toad in the Bufonidae family. It is endemic to Venezuela.
For years, this species was considered extinct because despite considerable effort, none had been found since 1986. However, in 2003 a small population was found.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and rivers. It is mainly threatened by chytridiomycosis.[2]
Source
- ^ [AmphibiaWeb. 2010. Atelopus cruciger - Rancho Grande Harlequin Frog. AmphibiaWeb. http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Atelopus&where-species=cruciger]
- ^ Bonaccorso, E., Guayasamin, J.M., Méndez, D. and Speare, R. 2003. Chytridomycosis as a possible cause of population declines in Atelopus cruciger (Anura: Bufonidae). Herpetological Review: 331-334.
- Manzanilla, J., La Marca, E., Heyer, R. & Fernández-Badillo, E. 2004. Atelopus cruciger. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 21 July 2007.
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