Common Name: Mindo Harlequin Toad, Mindo Stubfoot Toad
Scientific Name: Atelopus mindoensis
Family: Bufonidae – True Toad family
Location: Ecuador
Female Size: 1.0 – 1.1 inches (26.8 – 28.9 mm)
Male Size: 0.7 – 0.8 inches (17.5 – 21.4 mm)
The Mindo Harlequin Toad lives nearby streams in humid montane and tropical rainforests of Ecuador. They are named after the small town of Mindo in Ecuador, the type locality of the original specimen. From 1989 to 2019, the frog was not observed and thought to be extinct. Luckily, a handful of individuals of the species was found. Not much is known about the species. The female toad lays her eggs in streams.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Mindo Harlequin Toad as Critically Endangered with Extinction. Scientists believe that Chytrid Fungus, a deadly fungal disease, is the cause for their decline in the 80s. There’s no direct evidence that Chytrid Fungus caused the declines but many other harlequin toads suffered a worse fate thanks to Chytrid.
The current only known individuals currently reside in the ArlequÃn Reserve, 12 acres of cloud forest. The reserve is working to buy more land right next door. You can donate here to help them.