Atelopus ignescens

Atelopus ignescens

Jambato toad, Quito stubfoot toad

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SPECIES
Atelopus ignescens

Atelopus ignescens, the Jambato toad or Quito stubfoot toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to the northern Andes of Ecuador. This once abundant species was believed to be extinct until its rediscovery in 2016.The specific name ignescens means "to catch fire", presumably in reference to the orange ventral color of this species.

Appearance

Males measure on 34–41 mm (1.3–1.6 in) and females 36–48 mm (1.4–1.9 in) in snout–vent length. The body is robust with long limbs and truncate snout. The dorsal coloration is uniformly black, as is the iris. The ventral side is orange-red; the belly is lighter in color, suffused with yellow.

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Conservation

With the last recorded sighting dating to 1988, the species was thought to be extinct until early 2016, when a relict population was discovered in an undisclosed location.

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Atelopus ignescens was formerly abundant along streams, rivers and ponds of the páramo surrounding the Ecuadorian capital city of Quito. The species started to decline in the 1980s, probably due to the chytridiomycosis that ravaged other amphibian species around the world, and prior to its rediscovery had been listed as extinct by the IUCN. Other threats include habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, and invasive rainbow trout.

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References

1. Atelopus ignescens Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atelopus_ignescens
2. Atelopus ignescens on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/54518/98641865

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