Amphibians make up a group of ectothermic tetrapods whose lifestyle develops in two phases where there is a gill-breathing larva and a lung-breathing adult. They are divided into Anura (frogs and toads), Caudata (salamanders and newts) and Gymnophiona (caecilians). In addition, they have endless adaptations for both aquatic and terrestrial life, giving them unique and very different characteristics from the rest of the vertebrates, as we can see in the article Characteristics of amphibians. Also, their ecological requirements make them animals very sensitive to changes in their environment, not being able to thrive in very cold or dry environments, such as desert and polar regions, as well as absent from many oceanic islands.
Currently, there are various threats to the survival of many amphibian species, many of which are on the brink of extinction. If you want to know more about the threats these animals face, continue reading this article on our site and we will tell you all about the amphibians in greatest danger of extinction in the world, as well as their names and photos.
Endangered amphibians
Amphibians are one of the most threatened animals today, as they are extremely sensitive to environmental changes and, furthermore, are very specific in terms of habitat and other biological factors. According to the IUCN Red List[1], today, about 40% of amphibiansare under some threat category due to various causes that we will see later. First, we'll name some of the world's most endangered amphibian species.
Poison dart frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
This species belongs to the order Anura and is endemic to the Pacific coasts of Colombia and Panama, where it occupies the rainforests and humid junglesIt is one of the most poisonous animals that exist (each frog has enough poison to kill about ten people) and is characterized by its bright and striking colors (shades of green, orange and yellow) that warn about its toxicity. They are small, with little more than 5 cm in length and they are climbers, for which they use disks that they have on their fingers and with which they adhere to plants. This frog is in danger of extinction because its populations occupy very small territories, so its main threat is the loss of their habitat due to the destruction of forests and jungles.
If you want to know more poisonous frogs, we show them to you in this other article on our site about 10 poisonous frogs with names and photos.
Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus)
Of the order Caudata, this salamander is native to China, where it inhabits cold, rushing waters, as well as mountain rivers. It is the largest amphibian in existence, being able to reach nearly 1.8 meters and is characterized by its large head and gray-toned body. Its skin has folds that allow gaseous exchange, being a completely aquatic speciesIt is in critically endangered, and it is rare to observe, with several causes of its danger, such as the contamination of its waters, the destruction of its habitat and illegal hunting for its meat, since it is considered a luxurious dish in China, in addition to being used as a component in traditional Chinese medicine due to its high longevity. Unfortunately, their hunting is not regulated, so their future is uncertain.
You may also be interested in this other article on Where and how do amphibians breathe?
Darwin's Frog (Rhinoderma darwinii)
It is another species of the Anura order that is endemic to Argentina and Chile, where it inhabits temperate forests, in a good state of conservation and with presence of tall trees. It is a small species of barely 3 cm, although the males are somewhat smaller, measuring about 2.5 cm. This species has the peculiarity that, once the female lays her eggs on the ground, after a few days, the male collects them in his mouth, where the larvae finish their development. Darwin's frog is in extinction danger due mainly to the destruction of its habitat, since the lands it inhabits are transformed into agricultural and livestock areas, as well as as well as by the replacement of the native forest by exotic plantations. In addition, just as it affects other amphibian species, chytridiomycosis also attacks this frog and leads to an alarming reduction in its populations. Its protection is in charge of various organizations in Chile and joint strategies of both this country and Argentina.
Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
This amphibian of the order Caudata is endemic to the Basin of Mexico and inhabits areas of canals and shallow lakes, being a completely aquatic speciesIt can reach 15 cm in length and it is a neotenic species , that is to say that the adult, when reaching maturity, retains the larval characteristics. The axolotl is threatened mainly by the loss of its habitat , and there are very small populations in the wild. In addition, hunting for the consumption of its meat is another factor that endangers the axolotl, as well as the introduction of exotic species that prey on it, the use of parts of its body as traditional medicine, illegal trade for petting and chytridiomycosis are other threats that cause this species to be classified as critically endangered Currently, there are captive conservation and bioremediation programs for the waters where they live.
Lehmann's poison frog (Oophaga lehmanni)
This species belongs to the order Anura and is endemic to Colombia, where it inhabits humid tropical and subtropical forests It is common to find them in bromeliads (Bromeliaceae family) where it lays its eggs, since, being rosette plants, a concavity forms in their center where they retain water, or in the concavities of trees. It is a small species of almost 4 cm in length that has the peculiarity of feeding its larvae with unfertilized eggs (hence its name, ōon=egg and phagos=to eat), and which presents bright colors with shades of red, orange and yellow that warn of its toxicity. Like Phyllobates terribilis (both in the Dendrobatidae family), this frog is also called poison dart frogThis species is critically endangered due to the destruction of its habitat, illegal hunting for the pet trade, and its use due to the presence of alkaloids. Although there are currently action plans for its conservation, the populations of this amphibian remain delicate.
If you want to learn more about poison dart frogs, we advise you to read this other article on our site about Arrowhead Frogs - Types, characteristics, habitat, feeding.
Harlequin Frog (Atelopus laetissimus)
Also of the order Anura and endemic to Colombia, this toad inhabits Andean forests and rivers in the Sierra Nevada (Santa Marta, Colombia). It is about 4 cm long, the female being somewhat larger than the male, and it has a aposematic colorationThis species is categorized as endangered, and although they seem to be abundant in the areas where it is distributed, many studies have found that most individuals are male Some of the causes that are in danger are the loss of their habitat due to the transformation of natural lands for crops and livestock, global warming and diseases caused by contamination by pathogens, such as chytridiomycosis, which greatly affects their populations. Foundations such as Atelopus and Global Wildlife Conservation work to conserve this species.
Other endangered amphibians
Other amphibians characterized as endangered and critically endangered are as follows:
Endangered amphibians
- The Malaysian Rainbow Frog (Scaphiophryne gottlebei).
- The jumping salamander (Ixalotriton niger).
- Putla's giant salamander (Pseudoeurycea maxima).
- Arcana slender-toed frog (Plectrohyla sagorum).
- Keel-nosed Tree Frog (Sarcohyla mykter).
- Bronze-edged Frog (Sarcohyla cyclada).
- Michoacan achoque (Ambystoma ordinarium).
- Bromeliad Tree Frog (Bromeliohyla dendroscarta).
Critically endangered amphibians
- The yellow chickadee frog (Atelopus carbonerensis).
- The Mucubaji harlequin toad (Atelopus mucubajiensis).
- Golden Thorius (Thorius aureus).
- Thorius crescent (Thorius lunaris).
- Mindo Lobster Cutin (Strabomantis necerus).
- Tree Frog (Plectrohyla teuchestes).
- Hartweg's Spiny Frog (Plectrohyla hartwegi).
- Guatemalan bromeliad salamander (Rabbi dendrotriton).
- Aquatic salamander (Pseudoeurycea aquatica).
- Bullfrog (Rana holtzi).
- Masters frog (Leptodactylus magistris).
- Orphan salamander (Bolitoglossa capitana).
As you can see, amphibians comprise a very large group of species. Therefore, if you want to know more about these animals, you can read this other article on Types of amphibians - Characteristics, names and examples.
Why can amphibians disappear?
Amphibians are one of the groups of vertebrates that are most threatened globallyAccording to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than 30% of amphibian species globally, especially anurans, are classified under some category of threat, many of them beingon the verge of disappearing There are multiple factors that affect their populations, below, we will see the most important ones:
- Deforestation: The continuous transformation of natural land destined for the agricultural and livestock industry is increasing.
- Climate change: the transformations in many environmental factors being more and more drastic, especially in the increasingly higher temperatures that are recorded globally.
- Infectious diseases and pathogens: some of them are caused by fungi such as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which produces chytridiomycosis, a disease that is destroying many amphibian species worldwide.
- Introduction of species: This results in exotic species displacing native amphibians in a site, preying on them or competing for the food.
- Trade and illegal hunting: many species are highly coveted as pets due to their bright colors. Likewise, its meat is valued as a delicacy in many countries.
- Pollution: The use of toxic fertilizers and pesticides within the agricultural industry is also a factor that seriously threatens amphibians, as that their skins are very permeable, which makes them easily assimilate many of these contaminating agents.