El Rincon Stream Frog
CR

El Rincon Stream Frog

Pleurodema somuncurense

Declining

Photo: Photo: (c) Jonatan Ferrada, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jonatan Ferrada

Overview

Pleurodema somuncurense is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae. It is endemic to the Somuncura Plateau in Patagonia, Argentina.

Pleurodema somuncurense faces severe threats from habitat degradation due to overgrazing by livestock, which destroys the fragile steppe vegetation surrounding its breeding pools. Agricultural expansion and water extraction for irrigation have reduced available breeding sites, while introduced trout in some water bodies pose predation pressure on tadpoles. Climate change exacerbates these pressures by altering precipitation patterns in the already arid Patagonian environment.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits temporary pools and shallow wetlands within the Patagonian steppe of Argentina, particularly in areas with sparse vegetation and rocky outcrops. It breeds in ephemeral water bodies that form during seasonal rains in the arid grasslands and shrublands of the Somuncurá Plateau region.

Wetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies managementSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in LEPTODACTYLIDAE

VU

Pseudopaludicola restinga

Declining
EN

Gaige's Rapids Frog

Paratelmatobius gaigeae

Declining
CR

Mountain Chicken

Leptodactylus fallax

Declining
CR

Paratelmatobius mantiqueira

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is El Rincon Stream Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
El Rincon Stream 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. Pleurodema somuncurense faces severe threats from habitat degradation due to overgrazing by livestock, which destroys the fragile steppe vegetation surrounding its breeding pools. Agricultural expansion and water extraction for irrigation have reduced available breeding sites, while introduced trout in some water bodies pose predation pressure on tadpoles. Climate change exacerbates these pressures by altering precipitation patterns in the already arid Patagonian environment.
Where does El Rincon Stream Frog live?
El Rincon Stream Frog 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 El Rincon Stream Frog?
The main threats to El Rincon Stream Frog are 2.3, 7.2, 8.1, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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