The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T54560A11167883
Atelopus varius, Harlequin Frog
Assessment by: Pounds, J., Puschendorf, R., Bolaños, F., Chaves, G., Crump, M.,
Solís, F., Ibáñez, R., Savage, J., Jaramillo, C., Fuenmayor, Q. & Lips, K.
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Pounds, J., Puschendorf, R., Bolaños, F., Chaves, G., Crump, M., Solís, F., Ibáñez, R., Savage,
J., Jaramillo, C., Fuenmayor, Q. & Lips, K. 2010. Atelopus varius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species 2010: e.T54560A11167883. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20102.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Anura
Bufonidae
Taxon Name: Atelopus varius (Lichtenstein & Martens, 1856)
Synonym(s):
• Atelopus bibronii Boulenger, 1894
• Atelopus loomisi Taylor, 1955
• Atelopus varius subspecies ambulatorius Taylor, 1952
• Atelopus varius subspecies bibroni Cochran and Goin, 1970
• Atelopus varius subspecies loomisi Taylor, 1952
• Atelopus varius variety maculatus Peters, 1873
• Atelopus varius subspecies maculatus Dunn, 1931
• Atelopus varius subspecies varius (Lichtenstein & Martens, 1856)
• Hylaemorphus bibronii Schmidt, 1857
• Hylaemorphus dumerilii Schmidt, 1857
• Hylaemorphus pluto Schmidt, 1858
• Hylaemorphus plutonius Jan, 1857
• Phrynidium bibronii (Schmidt, 1857)
• Phrynidium varium Lichtenstein & Martens, 1856
• Phrynidium varium variety adspersum Lichtenstein & Martens, 1856
• Phrynidium varium variety maculatum Lichtenstein & Martens, 1856
• Phryniscus bibronii (Schmidt, 1857)
• Phryniscus dumerilii Brocchi, 1882
• Phryniscus varius (Lichtenstein & Martens, 1856)
Common Name(s):
• English:
• Spanish:
Harlequin Frog, Clown Frog, Painted Frog, Veragoa Stubfoot Toad
Rana Arlequin
Taxonomic Source(s):
Frost, D.R. 2013. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 5.6 (9 January 2013).
Electronic Database. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Available at:
http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html.
Taxonomic Notes:
Molecular data and morphological, ecological, and demographic analyses suggest that the Panamanian
golden frogs and their kin (the Atelopus varius-zeteki clade) are comprised of five distinct forms (Zippel
et al., 2006). Additional analyses identify phenotypic
and genetic differentiation consistent with proposed Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs), and support
the status of Atelopus varius and Atelopus zeteki as separate species (Richards and Knowles, 2007).
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Critically Endangered A2ace ver 3.1
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
1
Year Published:
2010
Date Assessed:
October 21, 2008
Justification:
Listed as Critically Endangered because of a drastic population decline, estimated to be more than 80%
over the last three generations, inferred from the apparent disappearance of most of the population,
probably due to chytridiomycosis.
Previously Published Red List Assessments
2004 – Critically Endangered (CR)
2004 – Critically Endangered (CR)
Geographic Range
Range Description:
This species is known from both Atlantic and Pacific versants of the cordilleras of Costa Rica and western
Panama, up to 2,000m asl. It is also present on outlying ridges and hills down to 16m asl at a few
lowland sites. The species is absent from the lowlands of the Pacific north-west (Savage 2002). Records
from Colombia are in error. Recent declines have reduced the Costa Rican range to only one known
locality, Fila Chonta, 10km north-west of the city of Quepos.
Country Occurrence:
Native: Costa Rica; Panama
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
2
Distribution Map
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
3
Population
Over 100 populations of this species were known from Costa Rica where it was often quite common.
Drastic declines began in Monteverde in 1988 and the species was thought to have been extirpated in
Costa Rica by 1996. However, after nearly eight years during which the species was thought to be
extinct, a remnant population was discovered near Quepos, on the Pacific coastal range, in 2003, and
was surveyed again in 2005 when more individuals were found. In Panama, some populations have
declined, but others persist. For example, Lips (1999) reported a mass mortality in Fortuna, Provincia de
Chiriquí, which affected this species in December 1996-January 1997. This site was visited again in
February 1998, but the species was not found (Ibáñez 1999). It has been recorded in Panama as recently
as November 2002, but it is believed to still be in serious decline.
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
It is a terrestrial species of humid lowland and montane forest; specimens recorded at lowland
rainforest localities were all found along high-gradient, rocky streams, in hilly areas (Savage 2002). It is
associated with small fast-flowing streams and is often found along the banks and sitting out on rocks in
streams; at night they sleep in crevices or low vegetation. They forrmely occurred in large
concentrations during the dry season, from December to May (Savage 2002). Eggs are laid in water and
are probably attached to rocks.
Systems: Terrestrial, Freshwater
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
The major threat is likely to be chytridiomycosis, which has led to catastrophic population declines in
many other montane species of Atelopus. Museum specimens of this species have been found to have
chytrid fungi. One specimen collected in 2003 from the only known site at which the species survives in
Costa Rica tested positive for chytrid infection, and the disease was also confirmed in individuals in
1986, 1990, 1992 and 1997. Other threats to the species include habitat loss due to the destruction of
natural forests, and predation by introduced trout. The only known site in Costa Rica is under serious
threat of a landslide that could potentially destroy the entire stream section where they are presently
found. It was collected by the thousands in the 1970s and shipped to Germany as part of the
international pet trade.
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
The species is present in three protected areas in Panama, and was previously found in a number of
Costa Rican protected areas. Ex-situ conservation measures are now needed to ensure the future
survival of this species, and a captive-breeding program has been initiated.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Pounds, J., Puschendorf, R., Bolaños, F., Chaves, G., Crump, M., Solís, F., Ibáñez, R.,
Savage, J., Jaramillo, C., Fuenmayor, Q. & Lips, K.
Reviewer(s):
Stuart, S.N., Chanson, J.S., Cox, N.A. & Young, B.E.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
4
Bibliography
Crump, M.L. 1986. Homing and site fidelity in a Neotropical frog, Atelopus varius (Bufonidae). Copeia:
1007-1009.
Crump, M.L. and Pounds, J.A. 1989. Temporal variation in the dispersion of a tropical anuran. Copeia:
209-11.
Ibáñez, R. 1999. Report from Panama. FrogLog: 1.
Ibáñez, R., Solís, F., Jaramillo, C. and Rand, S. 2000. An overview of the herpetology of Panama. In: J.D.
Johnson, R.G. Webb and O.A. Flores-Villela (eds), Mesoamerican Herpetology: Systematics,
Zoogeography and Conservation, pp. 159-170. The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas.
IUCN. 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2010.2). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 29 June 2010).
La Marca, E., Lips, K.R., Lötters, S., Puschendorf, R., Ibáñez, R., Rueda-Almonacid, J.V., Schulte, R., Marty,
C., Castro, F., Manzanilla-Puppo, J., Garcia-Perez, J.E., Toral, E., Bolaños, F., Chaves, G., Pounds, J.A. and
Young, B. 2005. Catastrophic population declines and extinctions in Neotropical harlequin frogs
(Bufonidae: Atelopus). Biotropica: 190-201.
Lips, K.R. 1999. Mass mortality and population declines of anurans at an upland site in western Panama.
Conservation Biology: 117-125.
Lips, K.R., Green, D.E. and Papendick, R. 2003. Chytridiomycosis in wild frogs from southern Costa Rica.
Journal of Herpetology 37: 215-218.
Lips, K.R., Reeve, J.D. and Witters, L.R. 2003. Ecological traits predicting amphibian population declines
in Central America. Conservation Biology: 1078-1088.
Lötters, S. 1996. The Neotropical Toad Genus Atelopus. Checklist - Biology - Distribution. Vences, M. and
Glaw, F. Verlags GbR, Köln, Germany.
Pounds, J.A. and Crump, M.L. 1987. Harlequin frogs along a tropical montane stream: aggregation and
the risk of predation by frog-eating flies. Biotropica: 306-309.
Pounds, J.A. and Crump, M.L. 1994. Amphibian declines and climate disturbance: The case of the golden
toad and the harlequin frog. Conservation Biology: 72-85.
Pounds, J.A., Bustamante, M.R., Coloma, L.A., Consuegra, J.A., Fogden, M.P.L., Foster, P.N., La Marca, E.,
Masters, K.L., Merino-Viteri, A., Puschendorf, R., Ron, S.R., Sánchez-Azofeifa, G.A., Still, C.J. and Young,
B.E. 2006. Widespread amphibian extinctions from epidemic disease driven by global warming. Nature
439: 161-167.
Pounds, J.A., Fogden, M.P.L. and Campbell, J.H. 1999. Biological response to climate change on a tropical
mountain. Nature: 611-615.
Richards, C.L. and Knowles, L.L. 2007. Tests of phenotypic and genetic concordance and their application
to the conservation of Panamanian golden frogs (Anura, Bufonidae). Molecular Ecology doi:
10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03369.x: 1-15.
Savage, J.M. 1972. The harlequin frogs, genus Atelopus, of Costa Rica, and western Panama.
Herpetologica: 77-94.
Savage, J.M. 2002. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Herpetofauna between two Continents,
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
5
between two Seas. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Young, B., Sedaghatkish, G., Roca, E. and Fuenmayor, Q. 1999. El Estatus de la Conservación de la
Herpetofauna de Panamá: Resumen del Primer Taller Internacional sobre la Herpetofauna de Panamá.
The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia.
Zippel, K. 2005. Zoos play a vital role in amphibian conservation.
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/aw/declines/zoo/index.html 26 July 2005.
Zippel, K.C., Ibáñez D., R., Lindquist, E.D., Richards, C.L., Jaramillo A., C.A., and Griffith, E.J. 2006.
Implicaciones en la conservación de las ranas doradas de Panamá, asociadas con su revisión taxonómica.
Herpetotropicos 3(1): 29-39.
Citation
Pounds, J., Puschendorf, R., Bolaños, F., Chaves, G., Crump, M., Solís, F., Ibáñez, R., Savage, J., Jaramillo,
C., Fuenmayor, Q. & Lips, K. 2010. Atelopus varius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010:
e.T54560A11167883. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
6
Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
1. Forest -> 1.6. Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland
-
Suitable
-
1. Forest -> 1.9. Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane
-
Suitable
-
5. Wetlands (inland) -> 5.1. Wetlands (inland) - Permanent
Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls)
-
Suitable
-
Use and Trade
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
End Use
Local
National
International
Pets/display animals, horticulture
No
No
Yes
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
1. Residential & commercial development -> 1.1.
Housing & urban areas
Ongoing
-
-
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.1. Annual &
perennial non-timber crops -> 2.1.2. Small-holder
farming
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.1. Annual &
perennial non-timber crops -> 2.1.3. Agro-industry
farming
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.2. Wood & pulp
plantations -> 2.2.1. Small-holder plantations
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.2. Wood & pulp
plantations -> 2.2.2. Agro-industry plantations
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.3. Livestock farming
& ranching -> 2.3.2. Small-holder grazing, ranching or
farming
2. Agriculture & aquaculture -> 2.3. Livestock farming
& ranching -> 2.3.3. Agro-industry grazing, ranching
or farming
4. Transportation & service corridors -> 4.1. Roads &
railroads
5. Biological resource use -> 5.1. Hunting & trapping
terrestrial animals -> 5.1.1. Intentional use (species is
the target)
7. Natural system modifications -> 7.2. Dams & water
management/use -> 7.2.11. Dams (size unknown)
8. Invasive & other problematic species & genes ->
8.1. Invasive non-native/alien species -> 8.1.2.
Named species (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis)
9. Pollution -> 9.1. Domestic & urban waste water ->
9.1.3. Type Unknown/Unrecorded
9. Pollution -> 9.3. Agricultural & forestry effluents ->
9.3.4. Type Unknown/Unrecorded
10. Geological events -> 10.3. Avalanches/landslides
Ongoing
-
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Past,
unlikely to
return
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Past, likely
to return
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.1. Ecosystem conversion
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management
Occur in at least one PA: Yes
In-Place Species Management
Subject to ex-situ conservation: Yes
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
8
Conservation Actions Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions Needed
1. Land/water protection -> 1.2. Resource & habitat protection
2. Land/water management -> 2.1. Site/area management
2. Land/water management -> 2.2. Invasive/problematic species control
Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Research Needed
1. Research -> 1.5. Threats
3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends
Additional Data Fields
Distribution
Upper elevation limit (m): 2000
Population
Population severely fragmented: No
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Atelopus varius – published in 2010.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-2.RLTS.T54560A11167883.en
9
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™