Assessment Results
Ambystoma flavipiperatum
Yellow-peppered Salamander
Ajolote
Order:
Caudata
Family:
Ambystomatidae
Synonym(s):
Assessed for:
Mexico
on:
19 May 2019
by:
Ana Santiago
IUCN Global Red List:
Endangered (EN)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Mexico
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
17.5217892
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) | There is habitat loss in Jalisco and it still surely exists new populations not assessed to date. |
| 2 | Possibly extinct | Is there a strong possibility that this species might be extinct in the wild? | No / unlikely | Further habitat protection is required for this species (IUCN 2016). |
| 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 reported in Sierra de Quila protected area (Santiago-Pérez et al. 2012; Rosas-Espinoza et al. 2013), but there is another population in a different mountain called Sierra de Tapalpa where the species is under strong pressure. |
| 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 | Population in Sierra de Quila protected area has enough well managed land; meanwhile Sierra de Tapalpa populations would be protected adding partner in private lands. |
| 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 | We have found that most of the time, people ignore the species or have an associated negative perception based on mythical superstitions passed down from generation to generation. In some localities the elderly have transmitted to young people superstitions that lead people to kill salamanders near their homes (Rodríguez-Canseco et al 2012, Santiago-Pérez pers. comm.). |
| 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 | Only in Sierra de Quila could be a recovery but it is not the case in Sierra de Tapalpa due to water overexploitation to supply the avocado cultures, berries and develop human use. |
| 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 | Ambystoma genus is important in the Mexican culture and history because native communities identified the axolotls as a god. Additionally, various species have been eaten as part of the community diet and used as medicine in beverages. |
| 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? | Yes | It is possible to maintain an ex situ conservation project for research and education purposes (exhibition) that will inspire public, economic and integral watershed management decisions. |
| 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? | Yes | There is one new species in Sierra de Manantlán, Jalisco state that is in process of description by Percino-Daniel (unpublished data). There is not information about its population dynamics. |
| 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? | Yes | At Sierra de Quila protected area, the local committee is using this salamander as the main species for preserving the clean conditions of the streams (UICN 2016). At Sierra de Tapalpa it is possible to obtain the support of the inhabitants and of the agricultural companies to inspire and increase among the different stakeholders in the integrated sustainable management of habitat protection and water care. Both areas of study have important ecotourism interest. |
| 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? | Yes / probably | |
| 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)? | No | Research into species validity needs to be prioritised. |
Citation:
Ana Santiago. 2019. Conservation Needs Assessment for Ambystoma flavipiperatum, Mexico.
https://www.conservationneeds.org/assessment/4761
Accessed 19 May 2024
