Assessment Results
Bolitoglossa subpalmata
La Palma Salamander
Order:
Caudata
Family:
Plethodontidae
Synonym(s):
Assessed for:
Costa Rica
on:
20 Jan 2020
by:
AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop
IUCN Global Red List:
Endangered (EN)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Costa Rica
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
9.597545208
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.] | Least Concern (LC) | The previous assessment reported past declines in this species and that it became rare at some sites, however there is no evidence as to whether declines actually ever took place (Costa Rica Red List Assessment Workshop September 2019). The species does not appear to be significantly threatened by habitat loss, as individuals can be found in open areas, among rocks, and have been observed crossing roads (F. Bolaños pers. comm. 2007, 2019). Therefore, the change in category from Endangered to Least Concern is due to new information on the population status and threats, rather than a Genuine improvement in its status. |
| 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? | Yes / probably | This species occurs on both slopes of the Cordillera de Guanacaste, the Cordillera de Tilarán, and the Cordillera Central and their outliers in central and northern Costa Rica. Much of its range is protected by numerous national parks and private reserves, such as Parque Nacional Guanacaste, Parque Nacional Volcán Poas, Veraguas, PN Braulio Carrillo, PN Rincón de la Vieja, Reserva Forestal Cordillera Volcánica Central |
| 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 | It lives in lower montane wet forest and rainforest, and marginally in the upper portion of premontane rainforest. It is frequently found in bromeliads and under fallen trees, logs, or rocks. It can occur in secondary growth, isolated trees in pastures, and other anthropogenic habitats, provided that there are trees and adequate cover. Parque Nacional Guanacaste, Parque Nacional Volcán Poas, Veraguas, PN Braulio Carrillo, PN Rincón de la Vieja, Reserva Forestal Cordillera Volcánica Central |
| 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.). | Yes / probably | |
| 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.)? | No / unlikely | |
| 9 | In situ research | Is additional in situ research required to better understand the species, e.g. distribution, population trends, natural history etc.? | Yes | More information is needed on this species' distribution, population status, and ecology. |
| 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 | The species does not appear to be significantly threatened by habitat loss, as individuals can be found in open areas, among rocks, and have been observed crossing roads (F. Bolaños pers. comm. 2007, 2019). The 2004 assessment reported past declines in this species and that it became rare at some sites, however there is no evidence as to whether declines actually ever took place and the species is now known to be abundant at all sites (Costa Rica Red List Assessment Workshop September 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? | 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 | It is regularly encountered in the eastern flank of the Volcán Turrialba (B. Kubicki pers. comm. September 2019), Volcán Barva and Alto de Roble (V. Acosta pers. comm. September 2019) and Volcán Poas (G. Chaves pers. comm. September 2019). It was observed as recently as 2019 in Monteverde (S. Gutierrez and R. Nuñez pers. comm. September 2019). |
| 13 | Action plans | Does an Action Plan for the species already exist, or is one currently being developed? | No | |
| 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.) | No / unlikely | |
| 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? | No / unlikely | |
| 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? | 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)? | Yes |
Citation:
AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop. 2020. Conservation Needs Assessment for Bolitoglossa subpalmata, Costa Rica.
https://conservationneeds.org/assessment/5144
Accessed 12 Mar 2025
