Assessment Results
Isthmohyla insolita
Order:
Anura
Family:
Hylidae
Synonym(s):
Hyla insolita
Assessed for:
Honduras
on:
15 May 2019
by:
AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop
Authors:
Castañeda, F., Cruz, G. & Wilson, D.
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 species is uncommon within its very restricted range. For example two individuals seen over five nights of survey by two persons in the type locality in 2004 (F. Castañeda pers. comm. March 2019) |
| 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 | This species is know from its type locality the Sierra Nombre de Dios - Refugio de Vida Silvestre Texiguat, between the Departamentos of Yoro and Atlantida, north-central Honduras. The range of this species is known to be within Texiguat Wildlife Refuge. Maintenance of existing tracts of remaining habitat is an important conservation measure for this species. Also a recent photograph at Parque Nacional Pico Bonito has shown a increase of its area of occupancy (more work needs to be done here) It could be found in secondary forest, adults and egg masses have been seen in it. |
| 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 | There is still suitable area for the species in Natural Park Texiguat, north part |
| 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 | The major threat to this species is habitat loss due to agriculture and logging. This frog is very dependent on pristine habitat as it depends on sufficient humidity for moss for breeding in the trees. In Texiguat major threats to the species include high-rate of deforestation and encroachment for extensive cattle ranching and coffee plantation, agricultural crops (avocado, beans) including the core area. Illegal selective hardwoods cutting, construction of several hydroelectric dams - human settlements along this. There is a proposal to shift core part of refuge upslope, which would create a much larger buffer zone where habitat conversion can progress (C. Antúnes and J. Ramos Galdamez pers. comm. March 2019). Pine beetle is also affecting the pines this species use. Also there are mine activities of Antimony near the type locality (F. Catañeda, pers. comm. 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? | Yes / probably | There is a new photographic record of the species in el Parque Nacional Pico Bonito (L. Herrara and 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.)? | Aspect of biology identified that is unique to species | During parental care - agitation behavior of egg masses, number of eggs and huge size of them. |
| 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? | Yes | Just in case in can be found in sufficient number and breed it in the wild. |
| 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 |
Citation:
Castañeda, F., Cruz, G. & Wilson, D. 2019. Conservation Needs Assessment for Isthmohyla insolita, Honduras
(AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop).
https://conservationneeds.org/assessment/4696
Accessed 31 Jan 2025
