Duellman's Robber Frog
CR

Duellman's Robber Frog

Pristimantis duellmani

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pristimantis_duellmani

Overview

Pristimantis duellmani is a species of frog in the family Strabomantidae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador. Its natural habitats are tropical moist montane forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Pristimantis duellmani faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its extremely limited range in the Ecuadorian Andes. The species' restriction to a tiny area of cloud forest makes it exceptionally vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, with even small-scale clearing potentially eliminating entire subpopulations. Climate change poses an additional critical threat, as rising temperatures force cloud forest zones upslope, potentially eliminating suitable habitat entirely for this high-elevation specialist.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits pristine cloud forests and elfin forests at elevations between 2,800-3,200 meters in the Cordillera Oriental of Ecuador. It requires undisturbed montane forest with high humidity levels and dense epiphytic vegetation typical of Andean cloud forest ecosystems.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recovery

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

Threatened in Colombia

EN

Helena's Marsupial Frog

Gastrotheca helenae

Stable
VU

Cavendishia macrocephala

Unknown
EN

Cavendishia sessiliflora

Unknown
VU

Macleania crassa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Duellman's Robber Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Duellman's 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. Pristimantis duellmani faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its extremely limited range in the Ecuadorian Andes. The species' restriction to a tiny area of cloud forest makes it exceptionally vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, with even small-scale clearing potentially eliminating entire subpopulations. Climate change poses an additional critical threat, as rising temperatures force cloud forest zones upslope, potentially eliminating suitable habitat entirely for this high-elevation specialist.
Where does Duellman's Robber Frog live?
Duellman's Robber Frog occurs in Colombia, and Ecuador. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Duellman's Robber Frog?
The main threats to Duellman's Robber Frog are 2.1, 3.2, 5.3, and 8.2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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