Current distributional status of the Critically Endangered Valcheta Frog: implications for conservation

VELASCO MELINA ALICIA; KACOLIRIS FEDERICO PABLO; BERKUNSKY IGOR; QUIROGA SOFIA; WILLIAMS JORGE DANIEL

Neotropical Biology and Conservation

Neotropical Biology and Conservation

Lugar: unisonos; Año: 2016 vol. 11 p. 110 - 113

The Valcheta Frog, Pleurodema somuncurense (Cei, 1969), is a critically endangeredspecies endemic from Somuncura plateau, Patagonia, Argentina. Although this frog is facingseveral human-related threats, the available information about its population statusand trends is scarce. In order to update the range of the species, from 2013 to 2015,we conducted exhaustive surveys in all its geographical distribution, including sites neverexplored in the past. In 2014, we estimated occupancy and probability of detection witha three-visit survey in 40 sites of headwaters of Valcheta stream. Frogs were present in58% of sites, and the probability of detection was high. We increased the known range ofValcheta Frog in 160%, by adding new sites occupied by the species. However, the statusof the species remains of great concern, since its total range barely reaches 4 squarekilometres.