CR

Palenque Poison Frog

Paruwrobates erythromos

Declining

Overview

The Palenque poison frog is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Paruwrobates erythromos faces severe threats from deforestation and habitat fragmentation in its restricted Andean cloud forest range. Mining activities and agricultural expansion have significantly reduced the quality and extent of its specialized high-altitude habitat. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human disturbance.

Threat summary

Habitat

This poison dart frog inhabits montane cloud forests and humid Andean slopes at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters. It requires pristine forest conditions with high humidity, dense vegetation cover, and specific microhabitat features including leaf litter and moss-covered surfaces for breeding.

Forest· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· majorRocky areas· major

Conservation measures underway

Resource & habitat protectionSpecies recoveryLegislation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Palenque Poison Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Palenque Poison 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. Paruwrobates erythromos faces severe threats from deforestation and habitat fragmentation in its restricted Andean cloud forest range. Mining activities and agricultural expansion have significantly reduced the quality and extent of its specialized high-altitude habitat. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human disturbance.
Where does Palenque Poison Frog live?
Palenque Poison Frog occurs in Ecuador. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Palenque Poison Frog?
The main threats to Palenque Poison Frog are 1.1, 11.1, 2.1, and 2.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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