Researchers discovered a rare specimen of Pristimantis ruidus, a species of frog, during a 2022 expedition. This remarkable find marked the first time this type of frog was captured on camera while alive.
In a significant breakthrough, a long-lost frog species, Pristimantis ruidus, was rediscovered in Ecuador's Molleturo Forest after a century without sightings [1]. This rediscovery places P. ruidus among Lazarus taxa, species thought extinct but found alive again.
The rediscovery of this elusive amphibian was reported in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution [2]. However, there is no detailed information provided about the current conservation status or specific ongoing conservation efforts for Pristimantis ruidus. Conservationists are likely to prioritize habitat protection and further population surveys to better understand and safeguard this species, although precise actions or programs have not been documented in the sources available.
The forests on the Andean foothills in western Ecuador, including the Molleturo Forest, have lost 70 percent of their original extent due to deforestation, changes in land use, and mining over the past two decades [3]. Activists and scientists have warned that mining operations in northern Ecuador are violating the rights of nature and contaminating habitats near where another rediscovered frog species, Atelopus longirostris, was found [4].
Biologist Juan Sánchez-Nivicela and his team made the discovery during a night-time expedition [5]. DNA analysis of the rediscovered frogs confirmed that they did not match any other Pristimantis species [6]. The rediscovered frogs appear as described by herpetologist John D. Lynch based on the preserved specimens from 1922 [7].
The rediscovery of P. ruidus has been described as a "glimmer of hope" by conservationists [8]. María del Carmen Vizcaíno, director of the Alianza Jambato, believes that P. ruidus could become a "flag of resistance" in the legal fight to protect the southern Andes [9]. Biologist Andrea Terán Valdez, a project coordinator for the Jambatu Center for Amphibian Research and Conservation, expresses concern that while they have won battles, the law remains unchanged, and nothing will change without further action [10].
Meanwhile, several conservation NGOs and northern Ecuadorian communities have used the rediscovery of Atelopus longirostris as a symbol in their battle against mining concessions granted to CODELCO and Enami EP [11]. In 2019, a judge ruled in favor of the communities and NGOs, revoking the Llurimagua mining project's operating license after nearly five years of legal battles [12].
Diego Armijos Ojeda, a herpetologist at Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, states that the rediscovery of P. ruidus presents an opportunity to conserve the potential only known locality of the species not only in Ecuador but globally [13]. Sánchez-Nivicela and his team aim to use the genetic material of Pristimantis ruidus to confirm whether other frogs belong to new or rediscovered species [14].
In 2019, 363 amphibian species in Ecuador were found to be under threat, representing 57 percent of the total species in the country [15]. The rediscovery of Pristimantis ruidus is a testament to the ongoing efforts of conservationists to protect and conserve Ecuador's diverse amphibian population.
References: 1. Rediscovery of Pristimantis ruidus (Anura: Craugastoridae) from the Ecuadorian Andes 2. Zoosystematics and Evolution 3. Deforestation in Ecuador 4. Mining in Ecuador 5. Sánchez-Nivicela et al. (2022) 6. DNA analysis of rediscovered frogs 7. John D. Lynch's description of Pristimantis ruidus 8. Conservationists' hope for Pristimantis ruidus 9. María del Carmen Vizcaíno's statement 10. Andrea Terán Valdez's concern 11. Conservation NGOs and northern Ecuadorian communities' battle against mining concessions 12. Revoking of Llurimagua mining project's operating license 13. Diego Armijos Ojeda's statement 14. Sánchez-Nivicela's team's aim 15. Threatened amphibian species in Ecuador
- The Molleturo Forest in Ecuador, home to the recently rediscovered frog species Pristimantis ruidus, is among the forests in the region that have experienced significant deforestation and habitat destruction.
- The rediscovery of Pristimantis ruidus signifies a significant breakthrough in environmental science and raises hopes for conservation efforts, particularly for the protection of endangered species and preservation of biodiversity.
- The hunt for Pristimantis ruidus was part of an expedition led by biologist Juan Sánchez-Nivicela, who relied heavily on DNA analysis to confirm the identification of the rediscovered frogs.
- The rediscovery of Pristimantis ruidus adds to the list of Lazarus taxa, species thought extinct but were found alive again, drawing attention to the importance of habitat protection and biodiversity conservation.
- Early indications suggest that Pristimantis ruidus could become a symbol for resistance in the legal fight to protect the southern Andes and the ecosystems it supports, highlighting the role of environmental-science and health-and-wellness in connection with nature preservation.
- The rediscovery of Atelopus longirostris provides a powerful symbol for conservation NGOs and northern Ecuadorian communities in their battle against mining concessions, as demonstrated by their successful revoking of the operating license for the Llurimagua mining project.
- Beyond the rediscovery of Pristimantis ruidus, the ongoing conservation status and conservation efforts for approximately 363 other amphibian species in Ecuador remain a concern, emphasizing the need for continued exercise and exercise programs in the field of ecosystem protection and scientific research.
