On the distribution and conservation of two “Lost World” tepui summit endemic frogs, Stefania ginesi Rivero, 1968 and S. satelles Señaris, Ayarzagüena, and Gorzula, 1997
Résumé
It has been suggested that the inability to migrate in response to climate change is a key threat to tepui summit biota. Tepui summit organisms might thus seriously be threatened by global warming, and there is an urgent need to accurately evaluate their taxonomic status and distributions. We investigated phylogenetic relationships among several populations of Stefania ginesi and S. satelles, two endemic species reported from some isolated tepui summits, and we examined their IUCN conservation status. Molecular phylogenetic analysis and preliminary morphological assessment indicate that both species are actually restricted to single tepui summits and that five candidate species are involved under these names. We advocate upgrading the conservation status of S. ginesi from Least Concern to Endangered, and that of S. satelles from Near Threatened to Endangered.
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