CR

Arntully Robber Frog

Eleutherodactylus orcutti

Declining

Overview

Eleutherodactylus orcutti, also known as the Arntully robber frog or Jamaican streamfrog, is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. The frog is endemic to eastern Jamaica, where it inhabits streams and other aquatic habitats in moderately-wet forests at altitudes of 225–1,255 m (738–4,117 ft). It is classified by the IUCN as being critically endangered and may be extinct.

Although abundant well into the 1980s in certain locations, the frog thenceforth underwent a rapid collapse in population, likely due to a combination of disease and habitat loss. Any existing frogs likely number fewer than 250 and are concentrated almost entirely in a single population that is declining due to habitat loss.

Eleutherodactylus orcutti faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited Puerto Rican range. The species is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes and extreme weather events that can devastate its small remaining populations. Introduced predators and competitors, along with the chytrid fungus disease that has decimated amphibian populations across the Caribbean, pose additional critical threats to this endemic frog's survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic Puerto Rican frog inhabits humid montane forests and coffee plantations at elevations between 300-900 meters. It requires areas with dense leaf litter and adequate moisture for breeding, typically found in the island's remaining forest fragments and shaded agricultural areas.

Wetlands (inland)· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionHabitat & natural process restorationSpecies recoveryAwareness & communicationsCompliance and enforcement

Other threatened species in ELEUTHERODACTYLIDAE

Oriente Yellow-mottled FrogVU

Oriente Yellow-mottled Frog

Eleutherodactylus ricordii

Declining
Eleutherodactylus manantlanensisCR

Eleutherodactylus manantlanensis

Unknown
Eleutherodactylus amadeusCR

Eleutherodactylus amadeus

Declining
CR

Short-nosed Green Frog

Eleutherodactylus brevirostris

Declining

Threatened in Jamaica

Humped BladderwortCR

Humped Bladderwort

Utricularia gibba

Unknown
VU

Broadstripe Goby

Elacatinus prochilos

Unknown
VU

Hildebrand's Goby

Gobiosoma hildebrandi

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Arntully Robber Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Arntully 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. Eleutherodactylus orcutti faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion in its limited Puerto Rican range. The species is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes and extreme weather events that can devastate its small remaining populations. Introduced predators and competitors, along with the chytrid fungus disease that has decimated amphibian populations across the Caribbean, pose additional critical threats to this endemic frog's survival.
Where does Arntully Robber Frog live?
Arntully Robber Frog occurs in Jamaica. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Arntully Robber Frog?
The main threats to Arntully Robber Frog are 11.1, 2.1, 5.3, and 8.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.