The Toad Telmatobius Halli, A Rediscovered Species
In the current biodiversity crisis, species extinction is an increasingly frequent phenomenon. Fortunately, not all living things that seem extinct really are. A small part of them is found again in exhaustive searches, decades after their disappearance. This is the case with the toad Telmatobius halli .
This small amphibian has not been seen since it was described by science over 80 years ago. A team of Chilean zoologists announced their rediscovery in a recent article published in the scientific journal Zootaxa .
This is an opportunity as rare as it is valuable, which will allow researchers to learn more about the biology of this amphibian and establish measures to enable its conservation. In this space, let’s talk about your discovery.
Characteristics of the Telmatobius halli frog
The Telmatobius halli frog is a small anuran amphibian. The body length of its adult form varies between 4.5 and 7 centimeters, approximately.
The color of this animal is quite discreet. The dorsal part of the body and extremities are olive grey, while the ventral section is whitish with orange spots. The surface of its body is slightly rough, but it does not have the large warts that characterize other frogs.
The head of this frog stands out for its large size. The eyes are located frontally, are very round and have very large circular pupils. Along with its giant mouth, this gives the animal a friendly, smiling look. The hind legs are slightly webbed.
In the larval stage, the tadpoles of this species measure between 16 and 17 centimeters in total length, although the tail represents about 60% of that length. The body has an ovoid shape and the tail is laterally flattened.
The tadpole’s coloration is green and yellow, with small black dots almost all over the body. The belly is translucent, whitish and with gray spots. Through the dermal layer, it is possible to see the animal’s internal organs.
Ecology and habitat
At present, the way of life of the toad Telmatobius halli is largely unknown, as no individual of the species has been observed since 1935. Although much remains to be discovered, the authors of this recent study, published in the scientific journal Zootaxa, point out a few basic aspects of your ecology.
The few specimens found inhabit only Aguas Calientes, a small hot spring near Ollagüe, Chile. The estimated habitat of this species is reduced to this stock, so it would have a distribution area of only 105 square meters approximately.
The vegetation in this area is composed of plants of the verbenaceous family, such as Lampaya medicinalis and Acantholippia tarapacana. In the water, it is possible to find reeds and other aquatic plants, under which the tadpoles take refuge. The adults, which are very aquatic, appear on the rocky shores of the spring.
Other animals were detected in this location, such as another species of frog, Rhinella spinulosa , and fish of the genus Orestias . They all share the characteristic of being eminently aquatic living beings.
How was the Telmatobius halli frog found again?
To locate this elusive amphibian, the researchers used the article that originally described the species, as well as the chronicles written about the International High Altitude Expedition to Chile ( International Shipping High Altitude Chile) in 1935.
This expedition intended to study the physiological effects of altitude on the human body, but it was also responsible for the first scientific description of this animal, and reports the circumstances of this discovery.
The help of the local inhabitants was also essential, whose greater knowledge of the field and a close relationship with the local fauna are always essential in these cases. After several trips around the region, which led them to discover other amphibian species, the researchers managed to find this frog in 2015.
The importance of this rediscovery
The toad Telmatobius halli has been rediscovered, but there is not only good news. Only 6 specimens of this species were found, 3 adults and 3 tadpoles. Furthermore, its only location is very small, vulnerable and highly degraded by human pressure.
Although they have survived to this day, it is possible that these frogs are microendemic, a species that only exists in that small part of the world, and that their population is severely reduced.
The region is used for recreational and tourist purposes, which has greatly disturbed its ecosystem. The spring waters were diverted to fill an artificial pool, which was built next to the spring. There is also a camping area , with covered spaces for meals.
In addition to tourism, other threats to the species are mining, agriculture and other activities that can alter or dry up the source. Without this water, frogs cannot survive, as there are no other places nearby that are suitable for them.
Therefore, its rediscovery offers an exceptional opportunity to study the species and implement urgent conservation measures, before the species disappears from the planet.
At present, scientific knowledge about this species is so sparse that it is considered “data deficient” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but its classification could change to “critically endangered” after further research. It is essential to conserve this small animal, unique on the planet.
