Darwin's Frog is Extinct: Males "Nursed" Tadpoles in Vocal Sacs

[findiviglio]

Hi, Frank Indiviglio here. I’m a herpetologist, zoologist, and book author, recently retired from a career of over 20 years with the Bronx Zoo.When it comes to inventive – some might say bizarre – breeding habits, amphibians are without equal. Several, such as the skin-brooding Surinam Toad, are well-known, but recent studies have revealed others that could not have been predicted – i.e. tree-dwelling tadpoles that consume bark and others that gorge upon their father’s skin (which re-grows for their dining pleasure!) or on “egg omelets” whipped up by mom (please see articles linked below). But even Charles Darwin would be shocked by the habits of a small frog he first described on his famous voyage, the Darwin’s Frog, Rhinoderma darwini. Males guard their eggs and then gobble them up. The tadpoles live in the vocal sac, feed upon nutritious parental secretions, and then emerge from their fathers’ mouths as fully-formed froglets! Sadly, all evidence indicates that this astonishing creature is extinct – the latest victim of the infamous chytridiomycosis epidemic. Read the rest of this article here Darwin’s Frog is Extinct - Males “Nursedâ€� Tadpoles in their Vocal Sacs
Please also check out my posts on Twitter http://bitly.com/JP27Nj and Facebook http://on.fb.me/KckP1m

My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with: That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog

Best Regards, Frank Indiviglio

[michael1846]

This is so sad. such an interesting little critter. ~Michael

[michael1846]

What happened to these ones ?Captive male frog coughs up babies - NBC News.com

[findiviglio]

What happened to these ones ?Captive male frog coughs up babies - NBC News.com

Hi, Thanks..that is the other species in the genus, also mentioned in the article I believe, and very rare, best, Frank

[findiviglio]

What happened to these ones ?Captive male frog coughs up babies - NBC News.com

Hello....I've just been updated re this...I was mistaken. Rhinoderma darwini is still with us, and is the species referred to in the article you linked. The related Chilean Darwin's Frog (please see my article) is believed to be extinct. Best, Frank

[MantellaGuy]

Hi Frank,

Do you know when this information will be released? Or where I can find it at all? Because I have looked and according to several databases such as the IUCN and EDGE, the species Rhinoderma rufum is still classified as Critically Endagered (2004). Do you know if this will be updated soon?
Many thanks,

Josh

[findiviglio]

[QUOTE=MantellaGuy;209025]Hi Frank,

Do you know when this information will be released? Or where I can find it at all? Because I have looked and according to several databases such as the IUCN and EDGE, the species Rhinoderma rufum is still classified as Critically Endagered (2004). Do you know if this will be updated soon?
Many thanks,


Hi Josh,

Thanks for your interest. It's believed extinct but has not been "officially declared" so. Considering it's size and range, there's always a chance that missed populations will be found in the future...I hope so,
Have a happy, healthy season and new year, Frank

[tylototriton]

Josh,
The paper is in PLOSONE, so it is freely accessible.

PLOS ONE: The Population Decline and Extinction of Darwin

It may take quite a while for the IUCN to update their lists, but I would certainly believe that R. rufum is extinct. It hasn't been seen in decades.

Cheers,
Alex

[MantellaGuy]

Josh,
The paper is in PLOSONE, so it is freely accessible.

PLOS ONE: The Population Decline and Extinction of Darwin

It may take quite a while for the IUCN to update their lists, but I would certainly believe that R. rufum is extinct. It hasn't been seen in decades.

Cheers,
Alex

Lovely thank you both!

When was the last official date of the last sighting, because I thought there was a common practice of having to wait a minimum of half a century before finally listing a species as Extinct?

Sorry, I am very interested in the species, so excuse the questions I have a habit of being very thorough! ha I do not doubt for a moment this species is more than likely lost to extinction, but I enjoy reading

Thank you both and I really hope you have a good Christmas!

Josh

[tylototriton]

I don't know of any specific criteria for determining extinction. For instance, Bufo periglenes has been declared extinct and it was last seen in 1989. I imagine most things take so long to be declared because there isn't intensive study on them, so waiting 50 years makes sense. In the case of R. rufum and B. periglenes both have been rather thoroughly researched, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if this new "extinct" designation is soon accepted.

~Alex