CR

Starrett's Treefrog

Isthmohyla tica

Declining

Overview

Isthmohyla tica, also known as Starrett's treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is found in the Cordillera de Tilarán, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera de Talamanca of Costa Rica and western Panama. The specific name tica is derived from the name that Costa Ricans use to refer themselves, tico.

Isthmohyla tica faces severe population decline primarily due to the devastating chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) that has decimated amphibian populations across Central America. Habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in Costa Rica's montane regions has further fragmented the species' already limited range. Climate change is altering the cool, moist conditions essential for this high-elevation specialist, pushing suitable habitat to increasingly restricted mountaintop refugia.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits cool, humid montane cloud forests and elfin woodlands at elevations between 1,400-2,400 meters in Costa Rica's Cordillera de Talamanca. It requires pristine forest environments with dense canopy cover, abundant epiphytes, and consistent moisture levels typical of high-elevation tropical montane ecosystems.

Forest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in HYLIDAE

VU

Maracas Heart-tongued Frog

Phyllodytes tuberculosus

Declining
VU

Papallacta Treefrog

Hyloscirtus psarolaimus

Declining
VU

Scinax rupestris

Unknown
CR

Nyctimantis pomba

Declining

Threatened in Costa Rica

EN

Passiflora chimuensis

Unknown
EN

Palicourea brenesii

Unknown
EN

Baird's Tapir

Tapirus bairdii

Declining
CR

Mespilodaphne paradoxa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Starrett's Treefrog classified as Critically Endangered?
Starrett's Treefrog 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. Isthmohyla tica faces severe population decline primarily due to the devastating chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) that has decimated amphibian populations across Central America. Habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in Costa Rica's montane regions has further fragmented the species' already limited range. Climate change is altering the cool, moist conditions essential for this high-elevation specialist, pushing suitable habitat to increasingly restricted mountaintop refugia.
Where does Starrett's Treefrog live?
Starrett's Treefrog occurs in Costa Rica, and Panama. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Starrett's Treefrog?
The main threats to Starrett's Treefrog 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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