Resumo

CARVAJALINO-FERNANDEZ, Juan M.; CUADRADO-PENA, Borish  e  RAMIREZ-PINILLA, Martha P.. ADDITIONAL RECORDS OF ATELOPUS NAHUMAE AND ATELOPUS LAETISSIMUS FROM SIERRA NEVADA DE SANTA MARTA, COLOMBIA. Actu Biol [online]. 2008, vol.30, n.88, pp.97-103. ISSN 0304-3584.

New additional observations of Atelopus nahumae and Atelopus laetissimus are reported from a locality belonging to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Magdalena), Colombia; and their ecosystem is characterized. The species are endemic of this area and were listed as Critically Endangered due to their ecological vulnerability and the absence of verifiable records since 1992. We searched for frogs during the day by visual encounters on a transect 3 x 700 m and obtained data regarding density, activity, and morphometrics of the observed frogs. Additionally, the area was explored to gather environmental data and obtain botanic samples. Four species of frogs were found (two species each of the genera Pristimantis and Atelopus) of which 26 individuals were of Atelopus nahumae and 12 of Atelopus laetissimus. We obtained photographic and audiovisual recordings of Atelopus species including calling and amplexus behaviors; both juveniles and apparently healthy adults were observed. The ecosystem is a secondary forest in recuperation, with a closed and continuous canopy with arboreal elements of high strata (25 m), being Licania cuspidata (Chrysobalanaceae) the most abundant species (38 ind/0.1 ha). In the area there are also plantations of Pinus species; however, Atelopus individuals were exclusively found in the secondary forest and close to the creek, only Pristimantis megalops individuals were found inside the pine forest. This report summarizes the current survival of these populations.

Palavras-chave : Atelopus nahumae; Atelopus laetissimus; density; calling; amplexus.

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