Assessment Results
Isthmohyla melacaena
Ranita de Bromelia Pequeña
Order:
Anura
Family:
Hylidae
Synonym(s):
Bromeliohyla melacaena
Assessed for:
Honduras
on:
15 May 2019
by:
AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop
Authors:
Marcec, R.
IUCN Global Red List:
Endangered (EN)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Honduras
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
14.8585331
Recommended Conservation Actions:
Additional Comments:
| Question # | Short Name | Question Text | Response | Comments |
| 1 | Extinction risk | Current IUCN Red List category. [Data obtained from the IUCN Red List.] | Endangered (EN) | B1ab(iii) |
| 2 | Possibly extinct | Is there a strong possibility that this species might be extinct in the wild? | No / unlikely | This is considered to be a locally common species (J.R. McCranie, pers. comm. 2008). |
| 3 | Phylogenetic significance | The taxon’s Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) score, as generated by the ZSL EDGE program. (These data are not editable by Assessors). | ED value < 20 | |
| 4 | Protected habitat | Is a population of at least 50% of the individuals of the taxon included within a well-managed or reliably protected area or areas? | Yes / probably | This species is known to occur in Parque Nacional Cusuco and Sierra de Omoa in the Reserva del Merendón, both at Department of Cortes, Honduras (McCranie and Castañeda, 2007). The species occurs within the confines of Parque Nacional Cusuco. Spend the whole lives in bromeliads. |
| 5 | Habitat for reintroduction, conservation translocation or supplementation | Does enough well-managed and reliably protected habitat exist, either within or outside of currently protected areas that is suitable for conservation translocation, including population restoration or conservation introduction? | Yes / probably | Within its own range - Parque Nacional Cusuco |
| 6 | Previous reintroductions | Have reintroduction or translocation attempts been made in the past for this species? | No | |
| 7 | In situ conservation activities | Are any in situ conservation actions currently in place for this species? (Only required if a Red List Assessment has not been completed, or if new actions have been implemented since the last Red List Assessment. (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.). | ||
| 8 | In situ conservation activities | Are additional in situ conservation actions required to help conserve this species in the wild (e.g. habitat restoration and/or protection, control of invasive species, national legislation etc.)? | ||
| 9 | In situ research | Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? | ||
| 10 | Threat mitigation | Are the threats facing the taxon, including any new and emerging threats not considered in the IUCN Red List, potentially reversible? | Threats are likely to be reversible in time frame to prevent further decline / extinction | Major threats include habitat destruction outside of Parque Nacional Cusuco (J.R. McCranie, pers. comm. 2008) and the potential of chytridiomycosis, as other species in their range are known to have infection (Kolby et al 2010). The reform to the Ley de Protection de la Actividad Caficultora y Cacaotera (Decreto 37-2016; Articulos I, V, VI) has incentivised the cultivation of coffee in national lands, including the core zones of protected areas, which is increasing the alteration of primary forest (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). The cultivation of cardamom, coffee, and flowers is taking place within the boundaries of Parque Nacional Cusuco (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). Another major threat is an increase in intentional human-induced fires for clearing of habitat for agriculture (J. Kolby pers. comm. March 2019). The building of roads in view of increasing hydroelectric development, increasing human settlements, and selective logging are causing habitat loss within the park (J. Kolby, F. Castañeda, M. Solís, L. Herrera pers. comm. March 2019). The trampling of leaf-litter, erosion of trails, and physical disturbance caused by high numbers of people through tourism activities and international research groups is an additional issue (J. Kolby pers. comm. March 2019). As of 2016, a native boring pine beetle has devastated the pine forests of the region where this species occurs, which encourages widespread harvesting of the dying timber for energy production; increased intentional fires to eliminate the excess biomass; and subsequent conversion of burned areas to cropland. The destruction of the forests by the beetle have ceased as of 2019, however another outbreak will likely occur in the future during the next El Niño cycle (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). Legal or illegal harvesting on pine forest timber in areas where bromeliads are abundant could potentially affects this species population. Chytrid could also be a potential issue for this species. |
| 11 | Over-collection from the wild | Is the taxon suffering from collection within its natural range, either for food, for the pet trade or for any other reason, which threatens the species’ continued persistence in the wild? | No / unlikely | |
| 12 | Population recovery | Is the known population of this species in the wild large enough to recover naturally, without ex situ intervention if threats are mitigated? | Yes / probably | Spend the whole lives in bromeliads. This is considered to be a common species (J.R. McCranie, pers. comm. 2008). In 2018 several males were recorded calling (F. Castaneda pers. comm. March 2019). Difficult to see but easy to hear, especially during the rainy season (F. Castañeda, pers. comm. March 2019) |
| 13 | Action plans | Does an Action Plan for the species already exist, or is one currently being developed? | ||
| 14 | Biological distinctiveness | Does the taxon exhibit a distinctive reproductive mode, behaviour, aspect of morphology or physiology, within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.)? | No aspect of biology known to be exceptional | |
| 15 | Cultural/socio-economic importance | Does the taxon have a special human cultural value (e.g. as a national or regional symbol, in a historic context, featuring in traditional stories) or economic value (e.g. food, traditional medicine, tourism) within its natural range or in a wider global context? | No | |
| 16 | Scientific importance | Is the species vital to current or planned research other than species-specific ecology/biology/conservation within the Order to which it belongs (e.g. Anura, Passeriformes etc.) e.g. human medicine, climate change, environmental pollutants and conservation science? | No research dependent on this species | |
| 17 | Ex situ research | Does conserving this species (or closely related species) in situ depend upon research that can be most easily carried out ex situ? | No | |
| 18 | Ex situ conservation activities | Is any ex situ research or other ex situ conservation action currently in place for this species? (Information from the Conservation Actions section of the Red List assessment should be reviewed and considered when answering this question.) | ||
| 19 | Husbandry analog required | If an ex situ rescue program is recommended for this species, would an analog species be required to develop husbandry protocols first? | ||
| 20 | Husbandry analog | Do the biological and ecological attributes of this species make it suitable for developing husbandry regimes for more threatened related species? i.e. could this species be used in captivity to help to develop husbandry and breeding protocols which could be used for a similar, but more endangered species at a later stage? | No | |
| 21 | Captive breeding | Has this species been successfully bred and/or maintained in captivity? | Not held in captivity to date | |
| 22 | Conservation education/ecotourism potential | Is the species especially diurnal, active or colourful, or is there an interesting or unusual aspect of its ecology that make it particularly suitable to be an educational ambassador for conservation of the species in the range country, either in zoos or aquariums or within ecotourism activities? | No | |
| 23 | Mandate | Is there an existing conservation mandate recommending the ex situ conservation of this taxon? | No | |
| 24 | Range State approval | If an ex situ initiative was proposed for this species, would it be supported (and approved) by the range State (either within the range State or out-of-country ex situ)? | Yes / probably | |
| 25 | Founder specimens | Are sufficient animals of the taxon available or potentially available (from wild or captive sources) to initiate an ex situ program, if one was recommended? | ||
| 26 | Taxonomic status | Has a complete taxonomic analysis of the species in the wild been carried out, to fully understand the functional unit you wish to conserve (i.e. have species limits been determined)? | Yes | Bromeliohyla melacaena (Faviovich et al 2018), previously Isthmohyla melacaena. |
Citation:
Marcec, R. 2019. Conservation Needs Assessment for Isthmohyla melacaena, Honduras
(AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop).
https://www.conservationneeds.org/assessment/4697
Accessed 13 May 2024
