From the IUCN Red List Species Account:

Range Description

This species is known only from the several localities on the northern slope of Mount Simpson, at 1,400-2,500m asl in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea (Kraus and Allison, 2006). It has not so far been found in neighbouring sites such as Mount Dayman and Mount Suckling. It is unlikely to be widespread, but further surveys are needed to determine whether or not it is endemic to Mount Simpson (F. Kraus, pers. comm.).

Habitat and Ecology

This species has been recorded from closed-canopy mid-elevation tropical moist forest, montane cloud forest and open montane mixed shrub-grassland (Kraus and Allison, 2006). At lower elevations (around 1,500m asl) these frogs call from the steams and leaves of shrubs, or from within Pandanus leaf axils (Kraus and Allison, 2006). At higher elevations (around 2,500m asl) they call from low grass tussocks (Kraus and Allison, 2006). The species presumably breeds by direct development, without dependence on water.

Population

It is apparently common in its small known range.

Population Trend

unknown

Major Threats

Bushland fires might possibly pose some threat to the species if these fires are eroding the primary montane forest habitat for the species (F. Kraus, pers. comm.). On the other hand, the species also lives in grassland/shrubland areas, so such fires might not have much impact on its status (F. Kraus, pers. comm.).

Conservation Actions

It is not known from any protected areas. Additional studies are needed into the distribution, abundance, breeding biology, threats and general ecology of this species.

Red List Status

Data Deficient (DD)

Rationale

Listed as Data Deficient since it has only recently been described, and there is still very little known about its extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, status and ecological requirements.

Citation

Fred Kraus 2008. Cophixalus timidus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T135730A4194317. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T135730A4194317.en .Downloaded on 16 January 2019