CR

Redbelly Egg Frog

Leptodactylodon erythrogaster

Declining

Overview

Leptodactylodon erythrogaster is a species of frog in the family Arthroleptidae. It is endemic to Cameroon. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, rivers, and freshwater springs. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Leptodactylodon erythrogaster faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion across its limited range in Cameroon's montane forests. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while its specialized breeding requirements in pristine forest streams are compromised by sedimentation from logging activities. Climate change poses an additional threat as rising temperatures may force this montane specialist to higher elevations where suitable habitat becomes increasingly scarce.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits pristine montane rainforests of the Cameroon Highlands, typically found near clear, fast-flowing streams at elevations between 1,200-2,000 meters. It requires undisturbed forest canopy and clean water sources for breeding, making it highly sensitive to environmental degradation.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryAwareness & communications

Other threatened species in ARTHROLEPTIDAE

Leptopelis vermiculatusEN

Leptopelis vermiculatus

Unknown
EN

Bioko Squeaker Frog

Arthroleptis bioko

Declining
EN

Wager's Bush Squeaker

Arthroleptis wageri

Unknown
Leptopelis parkeriEN

Leptopelis parkeri

Unknown

Threatened in Cameroon

VU

Justicia orbicularis

Declining
Brachystephanus kupeensisCR

Brachystephanus kupeensis

Declining
VU

Whitfieldia preussii

Declining
EN

Justicia leucoxiphus

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Redbelly Egg Frog classified as Critically Endangered?
Redbelly Egg 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. Leptodactylodon erythrogaster faces severe threats from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion across its limited range in Cameroon's montane forests. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while its specialized breeding requirements in pristine forest streams are compromised by sedimentation from logging activities. Climate change poses an additional threat as rising temperatures may force this montane specialist to higher elevations where suitable habitat becomes increasingly scarce.
Where does Redbelly Egg Frog live?
Redbelly Egg Frog occurs in Cameroon. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Redbelly Egg Frog?
The main threats to Redbelly Egg Frog are 11.1, 2.1, 2.3, and 5.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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