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Species of the Week:
Allobates chalcopis
Amphibian News
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The enigmatic Martinique Volcano Frog Allobates chalcopis, discovered in 1984 and not seen since the 1990s, has been rediscovered. This species is the only dendrobatid frog known from the Caribbean islands. Fouquet et al. (2013) revealed it still exists, and that its assignment to Allobates is correct and is genetically distinct from all other Allobates studied (the geographically closest species occur in northeastern South America). This frog occurs above 800 m elevation to the summit (1390 m) on Montagne Pelée. The authors argue that its conservation status should be changed from the current Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. The curious distribution is thought to be the result of overwater dispersal, possibly as long ago as the Late Miocene.
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