Abstract
The Valcheta Frog, Pleurodema somuncurense (Cei, 1969), is a critically endangered species endemic from Somuncura plateau, Patagonia, Argentina. Although this frog is facing several human-related threats, the available information about its population status and trends is scarce. In order to update the range of the species, from 2013 to 2015, we conducted exhaustive surveys in all its geographical distribution, including sites never explored in the past. In 2014, we estimated occupancy and probability of detection with a three-visit survey in 40 sites of headwaters of Valcheta stream. Frogs were present in 58% of sites, and the probability of detection was high. We increased the known range of Valcheta Frog in 160%, by adding new sites occupied by the species. However, the status of the species remains of great concern, since its total range barely reaches 4 square kilometres.Keywords: threatened amphibians, Somuncura plateau, occupancy models, population decline.
Highlights
Until 2006, the species was only known from eight thermal springs located at the locally called western cold branch of the Valcheta stream, Somuncura plateau, northern Argentinean Patagonia, reaching a range of 1.5 square km (Cei, 1969; Diminich, 2006)
The Valcheta Frog is one of most endangered species of Argentina (Vaira et al, 2012) and one of the three amphibians in this country listed as Critically Endangered at the IUCN Red List (Úbeda and Lavilla, 2004) due to: (a) restricted geographical range, (b) specific habitat requirements and (c) combination of threats, including exotic predatory fish species (Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salvelinus fontinalis), habitat fragmentation and livestock
The conservation of the Valcheta Frog is of great concern, and an action plan that ensures the long-term viability of the species is urgently needed (Basso et al, 2012)
Summary
The Valcheta Frog, Pleurodema somuncurense (Cei, 1969) is a habitat-specialist amphibian with a very small distributional range. This almost wholly aquatic frog inhabits and breeds only in permanent thermal springs and warm headwaters of the Valcheta stream. Until 2006, the species was only known from eight thermal springs located at the locally called western cold branch of the Valcheta stream, Somuncura plateau, northern Argentinean Patagonia, reaching a range of 1.5 square km (Cei, 1969; Diminich, 2006).
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