Royal Tree Toad
CR

Royal Tree Toad

Hylodes regius

Unknown

Photo: Photo: (c) muriel_caipora, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC)

Overview

Hylodes regius, also known as the royal tree toad, is a species of frog in the family Hylodidae. The specific name regius is not explained in the original species description but probably refers to the yellow and purple-red markings in male Hylodes regius. It is endemic to the Itatiaia Mountains in Minas Gerais, Brazil. After more than three decades without observations, it was detected again in 2012.

Hylodes regius faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from urban expansion and agricultural conversion in Brazil's Atlantic Forest region. The species' dependence on pristine rocky streams makes it particularly vulnerable to water pollution and sedimentation from nearby human activities. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering precipitation patterns and stream flow regimes essential for this frog's breeding success.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits rocky streams and adjacent riparian vegetation within Brazil's Atlantic Forest biome. It requires clean, fast-flowing water with rocky substrates for breeding and is typically found at elevations between 500-1200 meters.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Species managementSpecies recovery

Other threatened species in HYLODIDAE

EN

Crossodactylus timbuhy

Unknown
VU

Crossodactylus werneri

Declining
CR

Crossodactylus boulengeri

Unknown
EN

Hylodes perere

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Royal Tree Toad classified as Critically Endangered?
Royal Tree Toad 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. Hylodes regius faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from urban expansion and agricultural conversion in Brazil's Atlantic Forest region. The species' dependence on pristine rocky streams makes it particularly vulnerable to water pollution and sedimentation from nearby human activities. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering precipitation patterns and stream flow regimes essential for this frog's breeding success.
Where does Royal Tree Toad live?
Royal Tree Toad 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 Royal Tree Toad?
The main threats to Royal Tree Toad are 11.1, 8.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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