Red List of South African Species

Alternatively, Explore species
| National Red List categories | Partners |
Near Threatened (NT)
Assessors: IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group South African Frog Re-assessment Group (SA-FRoG)
Contributors: Alan Channing Alex Rebelo Andrew A Turner Atherton L de Villiers Francois Becker James Harvey Jeanne Tarrant John Measey Krystal A Tolley Leslie Minter Louis du Preez Michael Cunningham Ninda Baptista Rob Hopkins Peter Conradie Yankho Chapeta
Facilitators: Alex Rebelo Elena Garollo John Measey Kelsey Neam
Reviewers: Jennifer Luedtke

Rationale (Changed due to New Information|Taxonomy)

Listed as Near Threatened because the small EOO (4,673 km2) and AOO (88 km2) would qualify this species as Endangered were any threats to its habitat confirmed.

Distribution

This species is endemic to the high slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains and Lesotho Highlands, in South Africa and Lesotho. It occurs between 1,800-3,000 m asl, with an extent of occurrence of 4,673 km2 and an area of occupancy of 88 km2. There are four threat-defined locations.

Population trend

Trend

This species is relatively easy to find in its upland locations, and is locally abundant where it occurs. Large die-offs of both adults, juveniles and tadpoles have been observed over the past decade, especially around Mont-aux-Sources (J. Tarrant pers. comm. August 2016). There are several undocumented chytrid related die-off events recorded for this species at several sites (L. du Preez and C. Weldon pers. comm. December 2009), and chytrid infection rate is up to 38.6% in tadpoles (Smith et al. 2007), although these subpopulations at these same sites still appear healthy (L. du Preez and C. Weldon pers. comm. December 2009).

Threats

Large numbers of adults and juveniles die every year from chytrid infections (Meyer 2009). In addition, large tadpole die-offs from drying of streams and severe freezing in winter. Additional threats may include trampling and grazing. Greatest observed threat from climate change with extreme drying and chytrid acting on a limited number of locations.

Uses and trade

There are no records of this species being utilized.

Conservation

Conservation actions
Its range includes uKhahlamba-Drakensburg Park.

Research needed
Studies on its population size, distribution and trends, life history and ecology, and threats are needed. In particular, the stability of the adult population should be assessed and chytridiomycosis impacts monitored.

References 

[@electronic{63356,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-3},
 year = {2016}
}
,@book{596,
 address = {Ithaca and London},
 author = {Channing, A.},
 publisher = {Cornell University Press},
 title = {Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa},
 year = {2001}
}
,@book{596,
 address = {Washington, D.C.},
 author = {Minter, L.R., Burger, M., Harrison, J.A., Braack, H.H., Bishop, P.J. and Knoepfer, D.},
 publisher = {SI/MAB Series No. 9},
 title = {Atlas and Red Data Book of the Frogs of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland},
 year = {2004}
}
,@book{596,
 address = {Johannesburg},
 author = {Passmore, N.I. and Carruthers, V.C.},
 publisher = {Southern Book Publishers and Witwatersrand University Press},
 title = {South African Frogs, 2nd Edition},
 year = {1995}
}
,@article{596,
 author = {Lambiris, A.J.L.},
 journal = {Lammergeyer},
 pages = {1--210},
 title = {A review of the amphibians of Natal},
 volume = {39},
 year = {1989}
}
,@book{1301,
 address = {Craighall},
 author = {Wager, V.A.},
 publisher = {Delta Books},
 title = {Frogs of South Africa, 2nd edition},
 year = {1986}
}
,@electronic{1301,
 address = {http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html},
 author = {Frost, D.R.},
 publisher = {American Museum of Natural History},
 title = {Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 (31 March 2016)},
 year = {2016}
}
,@article{54358,
 author = {Bates, M.F. and Haacke, W.D.},
 journal = {Navorsinge van die Nasionale Museum, Bloemfontein},
 pages = {101--158},
 title = {The frogs of Lesotho: diversity and distribution},
 volume = {19},
 year = {2003}
}
,@article{54358,
 author = {Channing, A.},
 journal = {Annals of the Natal Museum},
 pages = {797--831},
 title = {Ecological and systematic relationships of <i>Rana</i> and <i>Strongylopus</i> in southern Natal},
 volume = {23},
 year = {1979}
}
,@article{54359,
 author = {Channing A},
 journal = {Zootaxa},
 number = {2},
 pages = {271--280},
 title = {The Maluti Mystery revisited: Taxonomy of African River Frogs (Pyxicephalidae, Amietia) on the Drakensberg Mountains in southern Africa},
 volume = {3925},
 year = {2015}
}
,@article{54359,
 author = {Smith, K.G., Weldon, C., Conradie, W. and du Preez, L.H.},
 journal = {Diseases of Aquatic Organisms},
 number = {2},
 pages = {159--164},
 title = {Relationships among size, development, and <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i> infection in African tadpoles},
 volume = {74},
 year = {2007}
}
,@article{58768,
 author = {Lambiris, A.J.L.},
 journal = {Annals of the Natal Museum},
 number = {2},
 pages = {455--462},
 title = {Description of the tadpole of <i>Strongylopus hymenopus</i> (Boulenger, 1920) (Amphibia; Anura: Ranidae) and a key to described southern African tadpoles of the Genus},
 volume = {28},
 year = {1987}
}
,@phdthesis{58768,
 author = {Meyer, LN},
 school = {North-West University },
 title = {Seasonal variation and the influence of environmental gradients on <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidi</i> infections in frogs from the Drakensberg mountains},
 year = {2009}
}
,]
Send feedback about this assessment to SANBI

Lead agencies, Partners and Funders

See the partners page