Assessment Results
Ptychadena aequiplicata
Victoria Grassland Frog, Victoria Ridged Frog, Limbé Grass Frog
Order:
Anura
Family:
Ptychadenidae
Synonym(s):
Rana aequiplicata
Assessed for:
Ghana
on:
27 Sep 2021
by:
AArk/ASG Ghana Assessment Workshop
Authors:
Adum, G., Kouamé, N.G., Ofori-Boateng, C. and Penner, J.
IUCN Global Red List:
Least Concern (LC)
National Red List:
(not assessed)
Distribution:
Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, The Republic of the, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo
Evolutionary Distinctiveness score:
21.32446376
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.] | Vulnerable (VU) | Was listed as Least Concern, despite the uncertainty of the limits of its distribution, in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a degree of habitat modification and presumed large population. Tentatively re-listed as Vulnerable. |
| 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 - 50 | |
| 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 | It is known from Ankasa National Park, Kakum National Park, the Sui River, Adjenua Bepo, Atewa Hills and Bobiri Forest Reserve in Ghana. There is a mining concession in Adjenua Bepo Forest Reserve. |
| 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 a lot of uncertainty around the true identity and range of this species. It is only known with certainty from its type locality in Cameroon and further taxonomic research is required to determine the identity of the other subpopulations, although it is expected to occur more widely (M.-O. Rödel pers. comm. July 2016). The western subpopulations (in Guinea, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo) are new species that are awaiting description (M.-O. Rödel pers. comm. July 2016). For the purposes of this assessment, these subpopulations are counted as part of this 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.). | Yes / probably | It is known from a number of protected areas in Ghana. |
| 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.)? | Yes / probably | Ongoing and improved management of protected areas is required including forest restoration, enforcement of protected area boundaries, the provision of livelihood alternatives for locals to reducing mining activities, and additional resource provision for the protection of existing protected areas [e.g. equipment such as cars and fuel provision] (G. Adum and J. Penner pers. comm. September 2021). The protection of all remaining forest in the region is also required, as well as the protection of its freshwater habitats (N.G. Kouame pers. comm. September 2021). |
| 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 taxonomic research is required to determine the identity of the subpopulations in Guinea, Liberia, Ghana and Togo. |
| 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 | This species generally requires a closed forest canopy. Some of the complex of five species (yet to be described) are more tolerant to disturbance of their habitat than others (J. Penner, pers. comm., September 2021), and there are even some records from heavily degraded former forest (farm bush). Despite being somewhat adaptable, it is presumably adversely affected by the loss of forest habitat for agriculture, logging and human settlements. It is also utilized for human consumption, although it is unlikely that it is at levels that constitute a major threat to the species. Artisanal and large-scale gold mining is also a major threat in Liberia and Ghana, which is causing forest loss and pollution of streams including areas downstream from the mining areas (J. Penner and G. Adum pers. comm. September 2021). Increasing development for human settlements is another threat throughout Ghana (G. Adum pers. comm. September 2021). Hill sanctuaries across Ghana were more secure in 2009, but observations since 2016 have confirmed that habitat degradation and loss are now occurring within these areas (G. Adum pers. comm. September 2021). Multiple threats currently exist in the Sui River Forest Reserve. Large-scale selective logging (both legally and illegally) and deforestation for cacao plantations (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021) - in 2021, the government allowed 15 ha of the 333.9 km² Sui River Forest Reserve to be cleared (G. Adum and J. Penner, pers. comm., September 2021). Other threats include the use of agrochemicals, gold mining, encroachment due to over-population, wildfires as a result of slash and burn activities and the spread of the invasive weed (Chromolaena odorata), (Ghana RLA/CNA assessment workshop, 2021). Large-scale selective logging is occurring throughout the reserve, which has resulted in areas becoming more accessible and led to a recent increase in illegal commercial logging activities (G. Adum, pers. comm., September 2021). |
| 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 might be utilized for human consumption (Eniang & Ijeomah 2011) , although it is unlikely that it is at levels that constitute a major threat to the species. |
| 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 a common species. Due to ongoing decline in the extent and quality of habitat, the population is suspected to be decreasing. |
| 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. This species is a complex of several species (M.-O. Rödel pers. comm.). It is now considered to be a complex of five species, which are yet to be formally described (Rödel et al. unpubl. data). |
Citation:
Adum, G., Kouamé, N.G., Ofori-Boateng, C. and Penner, J. 2021. Conservation Needs Assessment for Ptychadena aequiplicata, Ghana
(AArk/ASG Ghana Assessment Workshop).
https://conservationneeds.org/assessment/6923
Accessed 30 Jan 2025
