A flagship for Austral temperate forest conservation: an action plan for Darwin's frogs brings key stakeholders together

Claudio Soto‐Azat ,Gemma Harding,Maximiliano A Sepúlveda,Andrew A Cunningham,Camila Castro-Carrasco,Mariano De La Maza,Osvaldo Cabeza,Leonora Rojas-Salinas,Verónica Toledo,Martha L Crump,Soledad Delgado,Sandra Díaz-Vidal,Raúl Briones,Esteban O Lavilla,Frank Oberwemmer,Claudio Correa,Sally Wren,Ariadne Angulo,Hernán Pastore,Catalina Valdivia,Johara Bourke,César C Cuevas,Edgardo Flores,José M Serrano ,Andrés Valenzuela‐Sánchez ,Alexandra Peñafiel‐Ricaurte ,Charrier Andrés ,Mario Alvarado‐Rybak ,Marco A Méndez ,David E Uribe‐Rivera ,Juan Carlos Ortíz ,Carmen A Úbeda

doi:10.1017/s0030605319001236

Abstract

AbstractDarwin's frogsRhinoderma darwiniiandRhinoderma rufumare the only known species of amphibians in which males brood their offspring in their vocal sacs. We propose these frogs as flagship species for the conservation of the Austral temperate forests of Chile and Argentina. This recommendation forms part of the vision of the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin's Frogs, which was launched in 2018. The strategy is a conservation initiative led by the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, which in 2017 convened 30 governmental, non-profit and private organizations from Chile, Argentina and elsewhere. Darwin's frogs are iconic examples of the global amphibian conservation crisis:R. rufumis categorized as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) on the IUCN Red List, andR. darwiniias Endangered. Here we articulate the conservation planning process that led to the development of the conservation strategy for these species and present its main findings and recommendations. Using an evidence-based approach, the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin's Frogs contains a comprehensive status review ofRhinodermaspp., including critical threat analyses, and proposes 39 prioritized conservation actions. Its goal is that by 2028, key information gaps onRhinodermaspp. will be filled, the main threats to these species will be reduced, and financial, legal and societal support will have been achieved. The strategy is a multi-disciplinary, transnational endeavour aimed at ensuring the long-term viability of these unique frogs and their particular habitat.

Highlights

Halting biodiversity loss depends largely on developing effective conservation policies and planning (Johnson et al, )
In R. rufum the later larval stages develop in water, whereas in R. darwinii the entire larval development, lasting up to weeks and including metamorphosis, takes place within the male’s vocal sac (Formas et al, ; Formas, ; Supplementary Fig. )
Rhinoderma rufum is categorized as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) based on criterion D because its Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core

Summary

Introduction

Halting biodiversity loss depends largely on developing effective conservation policies and planning (Johnson et al, ). Key species can act as umbrellas or flagships, transforming species-level conservation plans into ecosystem-wide benefits (Superina et al, ). The northern and the southern Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma rufum and Rhinoderma darwinii) are named after Charles Darwin, who was the first to collect R. darwinii, in. These species are the only known amphibians in which the males brood their offspring within their vocal sacs (Plate ). The habitat of Darwin’s frogs is an ecoregion characterized by a high degree of endemism and is of high conservation priority

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