Watch List of Amphibians

EXTINCT

The following species of amphibians are thought to have gone extinct in the current millenium. Extinction is difficult to determine. The IUCN Red List of threatened species defines a taxon as extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. Based on this criterion a taxon is presumed extinct when exhaustive surveys in known and/or expected habitat, at appropriate times (diurnal, seasonal, annual), and throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual. Here, we conservatively classify a species as extinct and therefore, several species that may in fact be extinct are listed as 'missing in action'.

Currently (March 2021) there are 32 frogs and 3 salamanders thought to be extinct.

List of Extinct species

Two species are considered to be Extinct in the Wild:

Wyoming Toad, Anaxyrus baxteri

Kihansi Spray Toad, Nectophrynoides asperginis

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CRITICALLY ENDANGERED

The following species are considered critically endangered and are at an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Many of the following species have experienced local population extinctions throughout their ranges and may possibly be extinct.

Currently in 2021, there are 653 species, comprised of 535 frogs, 117 salamanders, and 1 caecilian.

List of Critically Endangered species

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MISSING IN ACTION

The following species are "missing in action", meaning they have not been seen in the wild for several years and are possibly extinct.

Australia

Litoria nyakalensis (Mountain Mist Frog) (last seen April, 1990; Hero, 2002)
Taudactylus acutirostris (Sharp-snouted Day Frog ) (last seen January, 1997; Hero, 2002)
Litoria castanea (Yellow-spotted Tree Frog) (last seen 1975; Global Amphibian Assessment, 2001)
Litoria piperata (Peppered Tree Frog) (last seen 1973; Global Amphibian Assessment, 2001)

Brazil

The following species are missing from the Atlantic forests of Brazil (pers. comm. C. Haddad, 2002):

Colostethus olfersioides
Colostethus carioca
Hyla cymbalum
Megaelosia lutzae
Paratelmatobius gaigeae
Paratelmatobius mantiqueira
Physalaemus maculiventris
Thoropa petropolitana

Costa Rica and Panama

Hyla calypsa (This recently described frog, which occurs in the border region of Costa Rica and Panama, has disappeared from sites where it had been studied for many years and it may be extinct; Lips, K. 1999).

Ecuador

Atelopus arthuri (last seen in 1988; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Atelopus bomolochos (last seen in 1993; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Atelopus elegans (last seen in 1994; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Atelopus ignescens (last seen in 1988; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Atelopus longirostris (last seen in 1986; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Atelopus mindoensis (last seen in 1989; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Atelopus pachydermus (last seen in 1996; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Atelopus planispina (last seen in 1983; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Atelopus guanujo (last seen in 1988; Coloma, 2002)
Atelopus nanay (last seen in 1989; Coloma, 2002)
Atelopus sp. C (aff. ignescens) (last seen in 1993; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Osornophryne talipes (last seen in 1970; Cannatella, 1986)
Centrolene buckleyi (last seen in 1997; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Colostethus jacobuspetersi (last seen in 1990; Coloma 1995)
Colostethus lehmanni (last seen in 1990; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Colostethus delatorreae (last seen in 1989; Coloma, 1995)
Colostethus fuliginosus (last seen in 1977; Coloma, 1995)
Colostethus vertebralis (last seen in 1997; Coloma, 1995)
Dendrobates abditus (last seen in 1974; Myers and Daly, 1976)
Gastrotheca guentheri (last seen in 1989; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Telmatobius niger (last seen in 1994; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Telmatobius vellardi (last seen in 1987; Museo ZoologÌa, PUCE)
Eleutherodactylus modipeplus (last seen in 1970; Coloma, 1992)
Nelsonophryne aequatorialis (last seen in 1989; Coloma, 1992)

Guatemala

Bolitoglossa jacksoni - Not seen since its discovery in 1975. REDISCOVERED in 2017!

Honduras

J. McCranie (Pers. Comm., September, 2001), reports that frogs that utilize streams or live near streams are virtually gone from all areas of Honduras above 1000 m in elevation, even in protected areas.

Eleutherodactylus anciano
Eleutherodactylus cruzi
Eleutherodactylus fecundus
Eleutherodactylus omoaensis

Puerto Rico

Eleutherodactylus karlschmidti (last seen in 1974, Joglar and Burrowes, 1996)
Eleutherodactylus jasperi (last seen in 1981, Joglar and Burrowes, 1996)
Eleutherodactylus eneidae (last seen in 1984, Joglar and Burrowes, 1996)

Venezuela

All of these frogs have not been seen for the past 5 years and are possibly all extinct (Barrio, 2001; FrogLog 47).

Atelopus carbonerensis
Atelopus cruciger
Atelopus mucubajiensis
Atelopus oxyrhynchus
Atelopus pinangoi
Atelopus sorianoi
Atelopus tamaensis
Phyllomedusa medinai has not been seen since 1974 and is probably extinct (Barrio, 2001; FrogLog 47).
Aromobates nocturnus has not been found recently despite intensive search (Barrio, 2001; FrogLog 47).
Bolitoglossa borburata, a salamander formerly common at Rancho Grande biological station in Venezuela can no longer be found there (Barrio, 2001; FrogLog 47).