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 Ninda Baptista Michael Cunningham Rob Hopkins Peter Conradie Yankho Chapeta
Facilitators: Alex Rebelo Elena Garollo John Measey Kelsey Neam
Reviewers: Jennifer Luedtke

Rationale (Changed due to New Information)

Listed as Near Threatened because its extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) meet the thresholds for the Vulnerable category under criterion B. Furthermore, there is continuing decline in the quality and extent of habitat in part of its range due to residential development at one location (McDougall's Bay and Port Nolloth). However, the number of locations exceed the threatened thresholds, the species is no longer thought to be severely fragmented, and there it is unknown whether there is continuing decline or extreme fluctuations in the number of locations, subpopulations, or mature individuals. Strip mining, which was regarded as the major threat to this species in the previous assessment, has recently ceased (in South Africa) and this, together with attempts by the mining companies to restore large areas of habitat, could mean that in future this species is no longer threatened, but there is currently no evidence that the species has recolonised restored habitats.

Distribution

This species occurs from just south of Kleinzee on the Namaqualand coast of South Africa, north to Lüderitz in coastal southwestern Namibia (Channing and Wahlberg 2011). It occurs in 11 threat-defined locations and its EOO is 13,246 km2. It ranges from close to the high-water mark to several kilometers from the coast, and appears to be limited to white sand dunes giving it an AOO of 1,446 km2.

Decline

One site/location holds >50% of individuals and the distances between subpopulations are not considered to be too great for dispersal within one generation.

Population trend

Trend

There is a lack of information on its population size and trends, but it is not considered to be severely fragmented.

Threats

This species was historically threatened by loss of its habitat as a result of coastal opencast diamond mining but this is ceasing in many areas. The recovery of this species relies on habitat restoration by mine agencies to restore degraded habitat, but there is currently no evidence to suggest that it occurs in restored areas (Channing and Whalberg 2011). Development of roads, increasing pressure from housing development (e.g. in McDougal's Bay), and changing land use (e.g. increased grazing) pose additional ongoing threats.

Uses and trade

There are no records of this species being utilized.

Conservation

Conservation Actions
It is not known from any protected areas.

Conservation Needed
There is a need to establish conservation areas within the range of the species and restore its habitat.

Research Needed
Studies on its population size, distribution and trends, life history and ecology (including breeding biology) and threats are needed. Studies on establishing whether this species can utilise regenerated land following past negative impacts of mining are ongoing. Population trends should be researched and monitored.

References 

[@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}
}
,@book{1301,
 address = {Cape Town},
 author = {du Preez, L. and Carruthers, V.},
 publisher = {Struik Nature},
 title = {A Complete Guide to the Frogs of Southern Africa},
 year = {2009}
}
,@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}
}
,@electronic{3069,
 address = {www.iucnredlist.org},
 author = {IUCN},
 title = {The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2017-2},
 year = {2017}
}
,@article{3070,
 author = {Channing, A. and Griffin, M.},
 journal = {Madoqua},
 pages = {101--116},
 title = {An annotated checklist of the frogs of Namibia},
 volume = {18},
 year = {1993}
}
,@article{3070,
 author = {Channing, A. and van Wyk, A.},
 journal = {Journal of Herpetological Association of Africa},
 pages = {33},
 title = {<i>Breviceps macrops</i>: Distribution and ecology},
 volume = {33},
 year = {1987}
}
,@article{3070,
 author = {Channing, A & Wahlberg, K},
 journal = {African Journal of Herpetology},
 number = {2},
 pages = {101--102},
 title = {Distribution and conservation status of the desert rain frog Breviceps macrops},
 volume = {60},
 year = {2011}
}
,@inbook{3070,
 address = {Pretoria},
 author = {},
 booktitle = {<i>Breviceps macrops</i>: Species account},
 editor = {De Villiers, A. L.},
 pages = {116--118},
 title = {Reptiles and Amphibians. South African National Scientific Programmes Report 151. CSIR},
 year = {1988}
}
,@inbook{3070,
 address = {Washington DC},
 author = {Minter  and Burger  and Harrison  and Braack  and Bishop  and Knoepfer },
 booktitle = {<i>Breviceps macrops</i>: Species account},
 editor = {Minter, L.R.},
 pages = {180--182},
 title = {Atlas and Red Data Book of the Frogs of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. SI/MAB Series 9. Smithsonian Institution},
 year = {2004}
}
,]
Send feedback about this assessment to SANBI

Lead agencies, Partners and Funders

See the partners page