Assessment Results
Bolitoglossa pesrubra
Order:
Caudata
Family:
Plethodontidae
Synonym(s):
Assessed for:
Costa Rica
on:
19 Jan 2020
by:
AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop
IUCN Global Red List:
Vulnerable (VU)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Costa Rica
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
9.64741369
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) | This species experienced historical declines beginning in the late 1980s, at a time when many other high-elevation anuran species were also undergoing sudden population crashes (Pounds et al. 1997, Savage 2002). Some subpopulations appeared to have declined by more than 90% while others appearred to be stable. In 2007, it was noted that the population was beginning to recover at some localities where it had formerly declined (F. Bolaños pers. comm. 2007), and as of 2019, additional surveying has shown that the species is continuing to recover at all known sites (E. Arias, J. Cossel, G. Chaves, and J. Klank pers. comm. September 2019). This salamander now appears to be relatively common at all known sites and considered to be stable (E. Arias pers. comm. September 2019) with no major threats affecting the population at present (Costa Rica Red List Assessment Workshop). Therefore the change from Vulnerable to Least Concern is considered a Genuine Change due to an actual improvement in species' 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 is restricted to the Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica. The range of this species includes several national parks along the Cordillera de Talamanca, such as Parque Nacional Chiripó, Parque Nacional Tapantí and Reserva Biológica Cerro las Vueltas. |
| 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 humid lower montane, montane, and sub-alpine zones, occurring in forest as well as disturbed areas such as road sides and garbage dumps. The species appears to be more frequently found at road edges, with this observation not linked to limited sampling effort (Federico Bolaños pers. comm. 2007). |
| 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 | Comprehensive management of the national parks where the species inhabit |
| 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 | Further research is needed to better understand the reasons for the declines observed in this species. Further details on the recovery of this species are needed. More information is needed on this species' distribution, population status, ecology, and threats. |
| 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 is effectively protected | At present, there are no major threats to the species or its habitat (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 | It was traded in the past for the international pet trade, but not currently. |
| 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 | This species still occurs in localities throughout its range, but the population has experienced drastic declines in many sites where it was formerly abundant. It showed notable declines in the late 1980s, at a time when many other high-elevation anuran species were also undergoing sudden population crashes (Pounds et al. 1997, Savage 2002). The well-studied subpopulation of Cerro de la Muerte had undergone a enigmatic decline, with no individuals recorded during surveys in 2005 (Lips and Donnelly 2005, K. Lips pers. comm. 2007). Declines had also take place on Cerro Cuericí (K. Lips pers. comm. 2007). Some subpopulations appeared to have declined by more than 90% while others appearred to be stable. In 2007, there were reports that the species was beginning to recover at some localities where it had formerly declined (F. Bolaños pers. comm. 2007), and as of 2019, additional surveying has shown that the species is continuing to recover at all known sites (E. Arias, J. Cossel, G. Chaves, and J. Klank pers. comm. September 2019). This salamander now appears to be relatively common at all known sites and considered to be stable (E. Arias pers. comm. September 2019). Currently is very common now at Cerro de la Muerte, Durica, Tuis and other know sites (Erick, pers. comm. 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)? | No | Research into species validity needs to be prioritised. Possibly it belong to a complex of species and needs taxonomic review |
Citation:
AArk/ASG Assessment Workshop. 2020. Conservation Needs Assessment for Bolitoglossa pesrubra, Costa Rica.
https://conservationneeds.org/assessment/5178
Accessed 21 Apr 2025
