Assessment Results
Nototriton nelsoni
Texiguat Moss Salamander
Order:
Caudata
Family:
Plethodontidae
Synonym(s):
Assessed for:
Honduras
on:
29 Apr 2019
by:
AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop
Authors:
Kolby, J., Marcec, R., Mora, J., Townsend, J.
IUCN Global Red List:
Critically Endangered (CR)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Honduras
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
10
Recommended Conservation Actions:
Additional Comments:
In addition to regular monitoring for Bsal, the general public can also support these efforts through reporting any dead salamanders to the iNaturalist global project: Saving Salamanders with Citizen Science (J. Kolby pers. comm. March 2019).
| Question # | Short Name | Question Text | Response | Comments |
| 1 | Extinction risk | Current IUCN Red List category. [Data obtained from the IUCN Red List.] | Critically Endangered (CR) | Changed from Not Evaluated. |
| 2 | Possibly extinct | Is there a strong possibility that this species might be extinct in the wild? | No / unlikely | |
| 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? | Unknown | This species is only known from highland forest within Refugio de Vida Silvestre Texíguat, Atlántida Department, Honduras, between 1,420–1,800 m asl (Townsend 2016). Another individual has also been found at 970 m asl (J. Ramos-Galdamez pers. comm. March 2019). It is an endemic to Texiguat, and is highly unlikely to be found elsewhere (J. Townsend pers. comm. March 2019). It occurs in a single threat-defined location. There is ongoing deforestation occurring in Refugio de Vida Silvestre Texíguat. |
| 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 | Habitat is available if it can be secured (J. Townsend, pers. comm. March 2019). |
| 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.)? | Yes / probably | Improved enforcement and management of the national parks and the elimination of incentives to convert forest (e.g., Decreto 37-2016) is urgently needed to halt anthropogenic land use change in the national parks and reserves of Honduras (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). Parque Nacional Sierra de Agalta is managed by two regional ICF offices that are relatively well positioned for park management; additional resources should be directed to these offices to increase their effectiveness (J. Townsend and L. Herrera pers. comm. March 2019). |
| 9 | In situ research | Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? | Yes | Proactive, precautionary steps should be taken to detect the arrival of Bsal in Honduras and to establish a baseline by including the swabbing of salamanders encountered during routine amphibian monitoring activities in the country (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). Population studies are required, as well as research on its ecology (J. Townsend pers. comm. March 2018). |
| 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 | In Texiguat, the major threats to this species include high rates of deforestation and encroachment in the wildlife refuge for extensive cattle ranching and coffee plantations, agricultural crops (e.g., beans, avocado), including in the core area, illegal selective logging for hardwoods, followed by clear-cutting along the same access routes (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). Another threat includes the construction of several small-scale hydroelectric dams (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). 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). There is a proposal to shift the core part of the refuge (which currently is at 1,250 m asl) upslope, which would create a much larger buffer zone where habitat conversion can progress unabated (C. Antúnez and J. Ramos Galdámez pers. comm. March 2019). Climate change is also considered to be a threat. Highland amphibians are adapted to inhabitat a narrow climatic envelope. Changes in climate are expected to reduce the available suitable habitat and required microclimates. Rapid shifts in the climate conditions required by these species would not allow sufficient opportunity for adaptation, especially in light of the limited possibility for elevational migration. Tropical Montane Cloud Forest (>1,000 m asl) has been demonstrated to be negatively affected by climatic changes to a greater extent than other habitats (Foden et al. 2013, Wicaksono et al. 2017, Lyra et al. 2017, Neate-Clegg et al. 2018). An increase in high rainfall events are being observed throughout its range, as well as an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events (hurricanes and droughts) in the Caribbean, destroying the riparian habitat required by stream-dwelling and stream-associated amphibian species (Honduras Amphibian Red List Workshop March 2019). Climate change is therefore considered to be both a current and future threat to all amphibian species in this habitat type. Furthermore, amphibians globally are at an increased risk of disease (e.g. chytridiomycosis) and a decline in fecundity due to such changes (Pounds et al. 2006, Blaustein et al. 2010). The emergence of the salamander chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, “Bsal”) as an amphibian pathogen has caused dramatic declines in European salamanders since its arrival in 2010 through the international pet trade (Feldmeier et al. 2016). While the presence of the fungus has not been confirmed in the Americas, it is spreading in Europe and risks spreading further. The threat of infection and population declines in salamanders is thought to be highly likely and detrimental to the majority of native species, should the fungus arrive in Honduras (Honduras Red List Assessment Workshop March 2019). |
| 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? | Unknown | |
| 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? | Unknown | It is known from 5 specimens (J. Townsend, pers. comm. March 2019). The species is very infrequently encountered (J. Townsend, pers. comm. March 2019). The population is likely to be declining due to habitat loss (J. Townsend, 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? | Yes | Named after Cyril Nelson, who is the co-founder of the university biology department, and is well-known by university students (J. Townsend, pers. comm. March 2019). |
| 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? | Unknown | Research into availability of founders needs to be prioritised. |
| 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 | This is a split from the broader concept of Nototriton barbouri (Townsend 2016). |
Citation:
Kolby, J., Marcec, R., Mora, J., Townsend, J. 2019. Conservation Needs Assessment for Nototriton nelsoni, Honduras
(AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop).
https://www.conservationneeds.org/assessment/4740
Accessed 17 May 2024
