Rediscovery of the Endangered Carchi Andean Toad, \u3cem\u3eRhaebo colomai\u3c/em\u3e (Hoogmoed, 1985), in Ecuador, with Comments on Its Conservation Status and Extinction Risk

Since 1984 there have been no records of Rhaebo colomai (Hoogmoed, 1985) within the territory of Ecuador. This species was known from 2 localities in the province of Carchi, northwestern Ecuador, and the department of Nariño, southwestern Colombia, which were reported in 1979 and 2015, respectively. We report the recent sightings of R. colomai at 3 new localities in Ecuador and discuss and evaluate this species’ extinction risk and conservation status

Rediscovery of the Endangered Carchi Andean Toad, Rhaebo colomai (Hoogmoed, 1985), in Ecuador, with comments on its conservation status and extinction risk

Since 1984 there have been no records of Rhaebo colomai (Hoogmoed, 1985) within the territory of Ecuador. This species was known from 2 localities in the province of Carchi, northwestern Ecuador, and the department of Nari��o, southwestern Colombia, which were reported in 1979 and 2015, respectively. We report the recent sightings of R. colomai at 3 new localities in Ecuador and discuss and evaluate this species��� extinction risk and conservation status

A biogeographical appraisal of the threatened South East Africa Montane Archipelago ecoregion

Recent biological surveys of ancient inselbergs in southern Malawi and northern Mozambique have led to the discovery and description of many species new to science, and overlapping centres of endemism across multiple taxa. Combining these endemic taxa with data on geology and climate, we propose the ‘South East Africa Montane Archipelago’ (SEAMA) as a distinct ecoregion of global biological importance. The ecoregion encompasses 30 granitic inselbergs reaching > 1000 m above sea level, hosting the largest (Mt Mabu) and smallest (Mt Lico) mid-elevation rainforests in southern Africa, as well as biologically unique montane grasslands. Endemic taxa include 127 plants, 45 vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and 45 invertebrate species (butterflies, freshwater crabs), and two endemic genera of plants and reptiles. Existing dated phylogenies of endemic animal lineages suggests this endemism arose from divergence events coinciding with repeated isolation of these mountains from the pan-African forests, together with the mountains’ great age and relative climatic stability. Since 2000, the SEAMA has lost 18% of its primary humid forest cover (up to 43% in some sites)—one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa. Urgently rectifying this situation, while addressing the resource needs of local communities, is a global priority for biodiversity conservation

Effects of Fragmentation and Sea-Level Changes upon Frog Communities of Land-Bridge Islands off the Southeastern Coast of Brazil

<div><p></p><p>We investigate the composition of anuran communities of land-bridge islands off the southeastern coast of Brazil. These islands provide natural long-term experiments on the effects of fragmentation in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (BAF). We hypothesize that Pleistocene sea-level changes, in combination with other abiotic variables such as area and habitat diversity, has affected anuran species richness and community composition on these islands. Data from the literature and collections databases were used to produce species lists for eight land-bridge islands and for the mainland adjacent to the islands. We assess the effects of area, number of breeding habitats and distance to the mainland upon anuran species richness on land-bridge islands. Additionally we use nestedness analysis to quantify the extent to which the species on smaller and less habitat-diverse islands correspond to subsets of those on larger and more diverse ones. We found that area has both direct and indirect effects on anuran species richness on land-bridge islands, irrespective of distance to the mainland. However, on islands with comparable sizes, differences in species richness can be attributed to the number and quality of breeding habitats. Anuran communities on these islands display a nested pattern, possibly caused by selective extinction related to habitat loss. Common lowland pond-breeders were conspicuous by their absence. In the BAF, the conservation of fragments with a high diversity of breeding habitats could compensate for the generally negative effect of small area upon species richness. We suggest that sea-level changes have an important role in shaping composition of anuran species on coastal communities.</p></div

Path and effect coefficients of species number as a function of area and number of suitable breeding habitats used by anurans (NBH) on land-bridge islands off the southeastern coast of Brazil.

<p>Path and effect coefficients of species number as a function of area and number of suitable breeding habitats used by anurans (NBH) on land-bridge islands off the southeastern coast of Brazil.</p

Description of the eight islands included in the present study.

<p>Island size: large (L), medium (M), small (S) and very small (VS). Sampling methods (SM): visual encounter (1), pit-fall traps (2) and plots (3). Maximum elevation (Elev), minimum distance to mainland (Dist), mean annual precipitation (MAP), mean minimum temperature (MinT)/absolute minimum, mean maximum temperature (MaxT)/absolute maximum. Data not available (NA).</p

Number of anuran species per breeding habitat (BH) in each macro-habitat (MH) on eight islands off the southeastern coast of Brazil.

<p>Ilha de São Sebastião (SAO), Ilha Grande (GRD), Ilha da Marambaia (MAR), Ilha Anchieta (ANC), Ilha de Itacuruçá (ITA), Ilha da Gipóia (GIP), Ilha de Jaguanum (JAG), Ilha de Itanhangá (ITN).</p

Macro-habitats and breeding habitats recorded on each island.

<p>Ilha de São Sebastião (SAO), Ilha Grande (GRD), Ilha da Marambaia (MAR), Ilha Anchieta (ANC), Ilha de Itacuruçá (ITA), Ilha da Gipóia (GIP), Ilha de Jaguanum (JAG), Ilha de Itanhangá (ITN). Macro-habitat formed after the isolation process and therefore not included in the analyses (*).</p

Path model of species number as a function of area and number of breeding habitats.

<p>Arrows indicate the direct effect of one variable on another. Number of suitable breeding habitats (NBH). Path coefficients represent: (a1) direct effect of area on NBH; (b1) direct effect of NBH on species number; and (b2) direct effect of area on species number.</p