CR

Macaya Dusky Frog

Eleutherodactylus ventrilineatus

Declining

Overview

Eleutherodactylus ventrilineatus is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae. It is endemic to Haiti and only known from the Pic Macaya and Pic Formon at elevations of 1,700–2,340 m (5,580–7,680 ft) asl. Its natural habitats are open areas in montane closed pine and cloud forests. It is threatened by habitat loss caused by logging and agriculture. It is known from the Pic Macaya National Park, but habitat degradation is occurring in the park too.

Eleutherodactylus ventrilineatus faces severe habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in Puerto Rico. The species' restricted distribution to a few remaining forest fragments makes it extremely vulnerable to continued deforestation and habitat fragmentation. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the moisture-dependent breeding requirements of this direct-developing frog.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits humid montane forests and coffee plantations in the central mountains of Puerto Rico, typically found in leaf litter and low vegetation. It requires moist microhabitats for its direct development lifecycle, making it particularly dependent on forest canopy cover and stable humidity levels.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

Conservation measures underway

Habitat & natural process restorationSpecies recoveryAwareness & communications

Other threatened species in ELEUTHERODACTYLIDAE

Oriente Yellow-mottled FrogVU

Oriente Yellow-mottled Frog

Eleutherodactylus ricordii

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Eleutherodactylus manantlanensisCR

Eleutherodactylus manantlanensis

Unknown
Eleutherodactylus amadeusCR

Eleutherodactylus amadeus

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CR

Haitian Marshfrog

Eleutherodactylus caribe

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Threatened in Haiti

EN

Reynosia cuneifolia

Declining
VU

Neea collina

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EN

Neea demissa

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EN

Plinia caricensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Macaya Dusky Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Macaya Dusky 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 ventrilineatus faces severe habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in Puerto Rico. The species' restricted distribution to a few remaining forest fragments makes it extremely vulnerable to continued deforestation and habitat fragmentation. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the moisture-dependent breeding requirements of this direct-developing frog.
Where does Macaya Dusky Frog live?
Macaya Dusky Frog occurs in Haiti. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Macaya Dusky Frog?
The main threats to Macaya Dusky Frog are 11.1, 11.4, 2.1, and 5.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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