CR

Ghost Flesh-bellied Frog

Craugastor phasma

Unknown

Overview

Craugastor phasma is a species of frog in the family Craugastoridae. It is endemic to southeastern Costa Rica and only known from its type locality in the Las Tablas protected area in the Puntarenas Province, near the Panamanian border. Only a single individual—the holotype collected in 1992—has ever been observed.

It is unusual in its ghost-like, gray-white coloration, and it was initially thought that the specimen was an albino form of some other species. However, the specimen is also morphologically distinct, although some uncertainty regarding the validity of this species remains.

Craugastor phasma faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited montane forest range. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes, while climate change poses additional risks by altering the cool, humid conditions essential for its survival. Pollution from agricultural runoff and pesticides further degrades the pristine stream environments this species requires for reproduction.

Threat summary

Habitat

Craugastor phasma inhabits cool, humid montane cloud forests at elevations between 1,200-2,000 meters, typically found near pristine streams and rocky outcrops. The species requires dense forest canopy cover that maintains consistent moisture levels and stable temperatures year-round.

Forest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· majorRocky areas· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in CRAUGASTORIDAE

CR

Craugastor castanedai

Declining
EN

Craugastor gutschei

Declining
EN

Blair's Dirt Frog

Craugastor blairi

Declining
EN

Sagui Dirt Frog

Craugastor sagui

Declining

Threatened in Costa Rica

EN

Passiflora chimuensis

Unknown
EN

Palicourea brenesii

Unknown
EN

Baird's Tapir

Tapirus bairdii

Declining
CR

Mespilodaphne paradoxa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Ghost Flesh-bellied Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Ghost Flesh-bellied 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. Craugastor phasma faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited montane forest range. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes, while climate change poses additional risks by altering the cool, humid conditions essential for its survival. Pollution from agricultural runoff and pesticides further degrades the pristine stream environments this species requires for reproduction.
Where does Ghost Flesh-bellied Frog live?
Ghost Flesh-bellied Frog occurs in Costa Rica, and Panama. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Ghost Flesh-bellied Frog?
The main threats to Ghost Flesh-bellied Frog are 8.2, 9.3.4, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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