CR

Argelia Robber Frog

Pristimantis bernali

Unknown

Overview

Pristimantis bernali is a species of frog in the family Strabomantidae. It is endemic to Colombia. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forests.

The primary threat to the Argelia Robber Frog is ongoing clearance of Andean montane forest for agricultural expansion and cattle pasture within its narrow Cordillera Central range. Because the species has an extremely restricted and fragmented distribution, even small-scale habitat disturbance can disproportionately affect remaining populations. Its dependence on humid leaf-litter microhabitats for direct development makes it especially vulnerable to forest drying and edge effects caused by deforestation.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits pristine cloud forests of Colombia's Eastern Cordillera at elevations between 2,800 and 3,200 meters, where it occupies the leaf litter and low vegetation of moss-rich understory environments. The habitat is characterized by persistent fog cover, high humidity levels, and cool temperatures that rarely exceed 15°C, creating the specialized microclimate conditions essential for this moisture-dependent amphibian.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in STRABOMANTIDAE

CR

Microkayla boettgeri

Declining
CR

Barriga's Rainfrog

Pristimantis barrigai

Declining
VU

Yanayacu Robber Frog

Pristimantis bicantus

Declining
EN

Cundinamarca Robber Frog

Pristimantis affinis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Argelia Robber Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Argelia Robber Frog is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The primary threat to the Argelia Robber Frog is ongoing clearance of Andean montane forest for agricultural expansion and cattle pasture within its narrow Cordillera Central range. Because the species has an extremely restricted and fragmented distribution, even small-scale habitat disturbance can disproportionately affect remaining populations. Its dependence on humid leaf-litter microhabitats for direct development makes it especially vulnerable to forest drying and edge effects caused by deforestation.
Where does Argelia Robber Frog live?
Argelia Robber Frog occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Argelia Robber Frog?
The main threats to Argelia Robber Frog are 2.1, 2.3, 4.1, and 5.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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