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Atelopus podocarpus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Atelopus podocarpus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Bufonidae
Genus: Atelopus
Species:
A. podocarpus
Binomial name
Atelopus podocarpus
Coloma, Duellman, Almendáriz, Ron, Terán-Valdez & Guayasamin, 2010

Atelopus podocarpus is a species of frog in the family Bufonidae.[2] It has not been seen since 1994, and is believed to be possibly extinct.

Taxonomy

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Atelopus podocarpus was described in 2010. The specific name comes from Podocarpus National Park, where the species used to be found.[3]

Description

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Male Atelopus podocarpus range from 35 to 40 mm long, while females are larger, ranging from 40 to 50 mm long. They have short hind limbs, and a dark-colored dorsal surface.[3]

Habitat and Distribution

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Atelopus podocarpus is known from páramos in southern Ecuador and northern Peru. They've been found in scrubland and dirt banks, hiding under rocks during the day.[3]

History

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Atelopus podocarpus experienced a massive decline in population towards the end of the 20th century. The last individual in Peru was seen on July 20, 1980. In Ecuador, the last living individual was seen on December 1, 1994. It was collected in unhealthy condition, and died while being transported. Several surveys conducted since have failed to locate any more individuals, and it is currently listed as Critically Endangered and possibly extinct. It's believed that disease and habitat loss led to the species' decline.[1][3]

References

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  1. ^ a b IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2018). "Atelopus podocarpus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T18435550A89224918. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T18435550A89224918.en. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  2. ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2021). "Atelopus podocarpus Coloma, Duellman, Almendáriz, Ron, Terán-Valdez, and Guayasamin, 2010". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Coloma, Luis A.; Almendáriz, Ana; Ron, Santiago; Terán-Valdez, Andrea; Guayasamin, Juan M.; Duellman, William E. (August 2010). "Five New (Extinct?) Species Of Atelopus (Anura: Bufonidae) From Andean Colombia, Ecuador, And Peru". Zootaxa. 2574: 1–54. doi:10.5281/zenodo.197448. Retrieved December 3, 2021.