Tropical Salamander Implosion

Dramatic declines in neotropical salamander populations are an important part of the global amphibian crisis

1. Sean M. Rovitoa,
2. Gabriela Parra-Oleaa,b,
3. Carlos R. Vásquez-Almazánc,
4. Theodore J. Papenfussa and
5. David B. Wakea,1

-Author Affiliations

1.
aMuseum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3160;
2.
bInstituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70-153, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 04510 México DF, México; and
3.
cMuseo de Historia Natural, Universidad de San Carlos, Calle Mariscal Cruz 1-56, Zona 10, Cuidad de Guatemala, Guatemala

1.

Contributed by David B. Wake, December 20, 2008 (sent for review November 20, 2008)

Abstract

We document major declines of many species of salamanders at several sites in Central America and Mexico, with emphasis on the San Marcos region of Guatemala, one of the best studied and most diverse salamander communities in the Neotropics. Profound declines of several formerly abundant species, including 2 apparent extinctions, are revealed. Terrestrial microhabitat specialists at mid- to high elevations have declined more than microhabitat generalists. These terrestrial microhabitat specialists have largely disappeared from multiple sites in western Guatemala, including in well-protected areas, suggesting that the phenomenon cannot be explained solely by localized habitat destruction. Major declines in southern Mexican plethodontid salamanders occurred in the late 1970s to early 1980s, concurrent with or preceding many reported frog declines. The species in decline comprise several major evolutionary lineages of tropical salamanders, underscoring that significant portions of the phylogenetic diversity of Neotropical salamanders are at risk. Our results highlight the urgent need to document and understand Neotropical salamander declines as part of the larger effort to conserve global amphibian diversity.

I had hoped that the salamanders et al would not be declining the frogs have been, but that's obviously not the case. In a case of horrifying and hopefully very wrong linear extrapolation, could we be on the verge of
seeing that ancient lineage finally snuffed out? Depressing that thought is.