A new minute Pristimantis (Amphibia: Anura: Strabomantidae) from the Andes of southern Ecuador

We describe a new rainfrog species (Pristimantis), from the wetland complex Oña, Nabón, Saraguro and Yacuambi, in the Andes of southern Ecuador, at altitudes ranging between 3000–3400 m a.s.l. Pristimantis tiktik sp. nov. is a small frog, displaying sexual dimorphism (the males with dorsum of various shades of gray, brown, orange or green and a whitish or pinkish yellow venter; females with brownish gray or gray dorsum and a reticulated white and black venter), with SVL ranging between 19.7–20.4 mm in females (n = 3) and 16.1–18.4 mm in males (n = 6). The skin on dorsum is tuberculated, that on venter is coarsely areolate, dorsolateral folds are absent, tympanic membrane is absent but the tympanic annulus is evident, cranial crests are absent, discs on fingers just slightly expanded, heel is lacking enlarged tubercles, inner edge of tarsus is bearing a long fold, Toe V is slightly longer than Toe III and the iris coloration is bronze with fine black reticulations. The males have a large subgular vocal sac that extends onto the chest and vocal slits but lack nuptial pads. The unique advertisement call consists of long duration series of periodically repeated clicks: “tik”. Molecular analyses place the new species in the recently resurrected P. orestes group, as the sister species of the assemblage that contains P. bambu, P. mazar, P. simonbolivari and an undescribed species. © 2018 Székely et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Peer reviewe

Aging and growth outside the comfort zone: the case of alien fire-bellied toads in France

AbstractUnderstanding why some small populations succeed while others fail to establish in novel environments has major implications in applied fields such as in situ species conservation and reintroductions. Species introductions outside their native range provide excellent opportunities to address such topic, since invasions usually start with small populations. We studied the life-history strategy of a population of the fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina) introduced in France, outside the natural range of the species, to estimate its population demographic potential. The introduced population showed a fast life history strategy, with early sexual maturation at 2 years of age, a relatively short life-span (3.1 years in females and 2.3 in males, with a maximum age of 5 years), and survival rates similar to those of populations from its native range. The population presents the characteristics for becoming invasive and might pose a threat to the native yellow-bellied toad (B. variegata) populations nearby through hybridization, competition and as potential vector of pathogens and parasites. Its spread should be closely monitored and additional introductions avoided to limit its potential negative impact

The influence of habitat characteristics on amphibian species richness in two river basins of Romania

We present the distribution and aquatic habitat use of amphibian communities in two river basins of Transylvania (Romania) on a medium spatial scale: the middle section of Târnava Mare Valley and the Upper section of the Olt Valley. We used between 13 and 15 variables to characterize the breeding ponds and their surrounding terrestrial areas. A total number of 14 amphibian species and a species complex were identified in the two areas. In Târnava, the average species richness is larger in permanent ponds than in temporary ones. No significant differences were found between the species richness in permanent and temporary ponds in Ciuc. In permanent ponds of both areas the presence of high traffic roads in the vicinity (i.e. within an 800 m radius) explained more of the variation in species richness than the other habitat factors, whereas the presence of dirt roads accounted for the highest variation in species richness in temporary ponds

Moving into Protected Areas? Setting Conservation Priorities for Romanian Reptiles and Amphibians at Risk from Climate Change

Rapid climate change represents one of the top threats to biodiversity, causing declines and extinctions of many species. Range shifts are a key response, but in many cases are incompatible with the current extent of protected areas. In this study we used ensemble species distribution models to identify range changes for 21 reptile and 16 amphibian species in Romania for the 2020s and 2050s time horizons under three emission scenarios (A1B = integrated world, rapid economic growth, A2A = divided world, rapid economic growth [realistic scenario], B2A = regional development, environmentally-friendly scenario) and no- and limited-dispersal assumptions. We then used irreplaceability analysis to test the efficacy of the Natura 2000 network to meet conservation targets. Under all scenarios and time horizons, 90% of the species suffered range contractions (greatest loses under scenarios B2A for 2020s, and A1B for 2050s), and four reptile species expanded their ranges. Two reptile and two amphibian species are predicted to completely lose climate space by 2050s. Currently, 35 species do not meet conservation targets (>40% representation in protected areas), but the target is predicted to be met for 4 - 14 species under future climate conditions, with higher representation under the limited-dispersal scenario. The Alpine and Steppic-Black Sea biogeographic regions have the highest irreplaceability value, and act as climate refugia for many reptiles and amphibians. The Natura 2000 network performs better for achieving herpetofauna conservation goals in the future, owing to the interaction between drastic range contractions, and range shifts towards existing protected areas. Thus, conservation actions for herpetofauna in Romania need to focus on: (1) building institutional capacity of protected areas in the Alpine and Steppic-Black Sea biogeographic regions, and (2) facilitating natural range shifts by improving the conservation status of herpetofauna outside protected areas, specifically in traditionally-managed landscapes and abandoned cropland

Nesting ecology and confirmed breeding of the invasive pond slider Trachemys scripta in an urban environment, Romania

Funder: Association CheloniaThe pond slider (Trachemys scripta) is a major invasive species in freshwater habitats across the world. For decades, the main cause of individuals' occurrences in the wild was the illegal release of pet animals. Recently, as an important component of their management, there has been an increasing focus on their ability to successfully reproduce in the invaded regions. In Romania, the species is reported as widespread in urban wetland environments within major cities, but information about its nesting and potential breeding remains scarce or anecdotal. We surveyed a large population of pond sliders in an artificial urban wetland site in Constanţa, SE Romania, and described their nesting ecology and reproductive output. Although eggs from several nests failed to hatch or were predated, potentially limiting their reproductive success, sliders were found to breed successfully at this site, with 18.6% viable hatchlings recorded. Our study could serve as a baseline for additional targeted surveys and to inform decision-making for successfully managing this invasive species. Although the importation, trading, and breeding of this species are prohibited by EU legislation, active and effective management is now required to address the successful reproduction and further potential spread of T. scripta