Eleutherodactylus luteolus

Eleutherodactylus luteolus
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Eleutherodactylidae
Genus:	Eleutherodactylus
Species:	E. luteolus
Binomial name
Eleutherodactylus luteolus (Gosse, 1851)
Synonyms
Eleutherodactylus lewisi (Lynn & Dent, 1942)

Eleutherodactylus luteolus is a species of frog in the Eleutherodactylidae family endemic to Jamaica. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Range description

This species has a restricted range in western Jamaica, ranging from sea level up to 680 m above sea level.

Habitat and ecology

This species is an inhabitant of mesic forests on the coast and in the uplands; although associated with closed-canopy forest, it can tolerate some habitat degradation. Males call from the ground or from low vegetation. Eggs are laid on the ground and it breeds by direct development and may be associated with bromeliads.

Population

It has rarely been encountered during the last decade, although it is commonly found in Dolphin Head in extreme western Jamaica. It has also been recently seen in Rocklands. Its population is decreasing; extensive habitat destruction and deforestation is taking place within its range, caused by agriculture, human settlement and logging. It occurs in several forest reserves, but these do not guarantee the species' long-term protection, and improved and strengthened management of these existing protected areas is clearly needed.

References

• Hedges, B., Koenig, S. & Wilson, B. 2004. Eleutherodactylus luteolus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 22 July 2007.
• Blair Hedges, Susan Koenig, Byron Wilson, Kelly Jones 2008. Eleutherodactylus luteolus. In: [1] Downloaded on 15 February 2011