Assessment Results
Mannophryne trinitatis
Yellow-throated Frog
Ranita Montanera, Sapito Acollarado Costero
Order:
Anura
Family:
Aromobatidae
Synonym(s):
Assessed for:
Trinidad and Tobago
on:
17 May 2015
by:
Roger Downie
IUCN Global Red List:
Vulnerable (VU)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Trinidad and Tobago
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
10.42081344
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.] | Near Threatened (NT) | Our recent research, soon to be submitted, indicates that this species should not be assessed as Vulnerable: more like Near Threatened or Least Concern. |
| 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? | No / unlikely | Trinidad has very few 'reliably protected' areas; however, the habitat where these frogs are found is not threatened. |
| 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 | The existing habitat is fully populated by this species i.e. the Northern Range and the Central Range; if there were a desire to extend the species' range specimens could be translocated to the southern Trinity Hills, which look suitable but which are currently not inhabited by the species. |
| 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? | Species does not require conservation action at this time | There has been a report of low level non-symptomatic chytrid infection in this species; our 2014 survey found no sign of continuing infection. |
| 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 | Our conservative estimate of the Northern Range population is 3.5 million; we have not yet carried out a similar exercise on the (probably smaller) Central range population. |
| 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 | The species belongs to a species rich genus which share a set of characteristics, as far as is known |
| 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? | Research dependent upon species | Because of its abundance, accessibility and biological interest(especially reproductive biology and social behaviour, there has been a considerable body of research on this species, and this is likely to continue, especially if it can be confirmed that the species is resistant to chytrid infection. |
| 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 | Research on this species has been done in the field, on recently captured specimens(later released) and on captive bred populations; But since the population is healthy and abundant in the wild, this research has generally not focused on conservation. If it turns out that the species is resistant to chytrid, that could change. |
| 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 | Since the species has been successfully bred in captivity, information gained could be of value in caring for other Mannophryne species |
| 21 | Captive breeding | Has this species been successfully bred and/or maintained in captivity? | Yes, bred to F2 | A colony of these frogs was maintained for over 10 years at Edinburgh Zoo, from about 1990. However, the frogs were dispersed to other institutions and hobbyists when the Zoo closed its reptile and amphibian house. I am aware of one hobbyist who has maintained a colony of the frogs since then. |
| 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 | It is not especially colourful(all Mannophryne are cryptic) but it is active and diurnal. We have a story/play based on the behaviour of the species which we have successfully used as an educational tool both in Trinidad and in Scotland. |
| 23 | Mandate | Is there an existing conservation mandate recommending the ex situ conservation of this taxon? | No | N/A |
| 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 | The Trinidad and Tobago Government is unusually relaxed about the export of living specimens for scientific or conservation purposes,although new legislation is being discussed which may alter that situation. |
| 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 | N/A |
| 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 | Research has established that the Trinidad species is distinct from those in adjacent Venezuela and nearby Tobago. It has also established that there is no geographic structuring of the populations within Trinidad and that they can therefore be considered as a single unit for conservation purposes. |
Citation:
Roger Downie. 2015. Conservation Needs Assessment for Mannophryne trinitatis, Trinidad and Tobago.
https://conservationneeds.org/assessment/3869
Accessed 24 Jan 2025
