CR

Choerophryne sanguinopicta

Declining

Overview

Choerophryne sanguinopicta is a species of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to southeastern Papua New Guinea and only known from the vicinity of its type locality, the northern slope of Mt. Simpson in the Owen Stanley Range, Milne Bay Province, although it is expected to occur more widely.

The specific name sanguinopictus, from Latin for sanguis ("blood") and pictus ("painted") refers to the distinctive red blotching and punctations characteristic for this species.

Choerophryne sanguinopicta faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to logging and agricultural expansion in its limited montane forest range in Papua New Guinea. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, with mining activities and infrastructure development posing additional pressures on its remaining habitat fragments.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits montane rainforests at elevations between 1,200-2,000 meters in the mountains of Papua New Guinea. It is typically found in primary forest environments with dense canopy cover and high humidity levels.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryEx-situ conservationAwareness & communicationsPolicies and regulationsCompliance and enforcement

Frequently asked questions

Why is Choerophryne sanguinopicta classified as Critically Endangered?
Choerophryne sanguinopicta 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. Choerophryne sanguinopicta faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to logging and agricultural expansion in its limited montane forest range in Papua New Guinea. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, with mining activities and infrastructure development posing additional pressures on its remaining habitat fragments.
Where does Choerophryne sanguinopicta live?
Choerophryne sanguinopicta occurs in Papua New Guinea. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Choerophryne sanguinopicta?
The main threats to Choerophryne sanguinopicta are 5.1, 7.1, 8.1, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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