IUCN Red List Category: VU D2 (Published on 2013-05-24)
Animalia | Chordata | Amphibia | Anura | Hemiphractidae | Gastrotheca | Gastrotheca atympana |
Taxonomic notes: Section empty
This species is known only from the 380 ha (3.8 km2) Pampa Hermosa Reserve at 1,540 m asl in Tarma Provincia, Junín Region, in the Río Chanchamayo Valley in the Cordillera Oriental of Peru. It has not been found outside of the reserve.
It has been collected in dense, humid montane primary forest, on tree branches ca 1.2 m above the ground. It is not known whether this species can tolerate habitat disturbance since it has only been found in protected primary forest. It is presumed to breed by direct development.
It is known only from two specimens: the holotype, collected in 2003 (Duellman et al. 2004) and one individual found in 2004 at the same site (R. von May pers. comm. April 2013). These specimens were recorded over the course of 5 person/days (von May et al. 2008). No additional individuals have been recorded from the type locality despite regular searches of the Pampa Hermosa Reserve (A. Zambrano pers. comm. April 2013).
Pampa Hermosa is currently protected, and might remain protected in the near future, but it faces several threats (R. von May pers. comm. July 2013). The administrative office for the reserve is located in San Ramón (24 km away from the entrance to the reserve; the road ends 1.0 km before the main trail entering the reserve) and there is a very basic control post near the main trail used to access the lower portion of the reserve. In addition to the director, there are only two park rangers who occasionally patrol the area (R. von May pers. comm. July 2013). Outside of this reserve, in nearby areas, ongoing threats include encroaching illegal logging, slash and burn agriculture, mining activities and road construction without the appropriate environmental impact studies (R. von May pers. comm. July 2013). In the province of Chanchamayo as a whole, there is continued deforestation with loss of suitable habitat and increasing fragmentation. It is estimated that 85% of the surrounding habitat has been lost due to deforestation (Reynel 1989 in SERNANP 2009). It is therefore likely that this species will become isolated in this small reserve and the reserve itself may become under threat from encroaching threats.
It occurs in the protected 380 ha Pampa Hermosa Reserve. However, additional protection of primary forest habitats surrounding the reserve is also required. Further research is required into the species' population status, distribution and ecological requirements.
Listed as Vulnerable since this species has only been found at one location within a small protected reserve. Ongoing deforestation in the surrounding area may lead to increased loss and fragmentation of suitable habitats and encroachment into the reserve.
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