review of non-cites amphibia species that are known or likely to be ...

1. INTRODUCTION
This report provides an analysis of amphibian species which are not listed in CITES but for
which regional or international trade was considered to be a major threat in the 2007 IUCN
Red List. In-depth reviews were undertaken for 13 species to see whether they meet the
criteria for listing in any of Annexes A, B or D 1 of Council Regulation 338/97.
1.1. TRADE IN AMPHIBIANS
Amphibians have been traded for food, the pet trade, medicinal products, etc. (Schlaepfer et
al., 2005; AmphibiaWeb, 2006; Carpenter et al., 2007; Tyler et al. 2007). However, trade data are
not generally available for most species, since only a small number of them are listed in
CITES. It was noted by one author (Schlaepfer et al., 2005) that the majority of the most
heavily traded amphibians were not regulated by CITES (for instance, none of the 25
amphibian species most commonly traded by the US was listed).
Unlike most countries, the United States records the imports and exports of all amphibians
(Schlaepfer et al., 2005). Although data are often not collected at the species level, they can,
however, provide an overview of the trade in one market. Over two million amphibians were
known to be imported into the US during 1970-1971; leopard frogs (Rana pipiens), fire newts
(Cynops pyrrogaster) and marine toads (Bufo marinus) were imported in the highest numbers
(Busack, 1974). An estimated 200 million pairs of frogs’ legs were imported annually from
Asia to the United States before 1987 (Pough et al., 1998). During 1998-2002, the United States
imported 14.7 million wild-caught amphibian specimens, and 5.2 million kg of wild-caught
amphibian meat. The most frequently traded species were the American bullfrog (Rana
catesbeiana) for the food trade and the African dwarf frog (Hymenochirus curtipes) and the
oriental fire-bellied newt and toad (Cynops orientalis and Bombina orientalis) for the pet trade
(Schlaepfer et al., 2005).
A broader view of the international trade is only possible for those species listed in the CITES
appendices. At present, 106 amphibian species are listed in CITES. A total of 16 species are
listed in Appendix I and the remainder are listed in Appendix II, see Table 1. Recent trade
(1994-2006) in CITES-listed amphibians is summarized in Table 3.
Table 1. Summary table of CITES and/or EC-listed amphibians.
Sources: Frost, 2004; EC Regulation No. 1332/2005.
Order Family Species
CITES
Appendix
EC
Annex
ANURA Bufonidae Altiphrynoides spp. I A
Atelopus zeteki I A
Bufo periglenes I A
Bufo superciliaris I A
Nectophrynoides spp. I A
Nimbaphrynoides spp. I A
Spinophrynoides spp. I A
Dendrobatidae Allobates femoralis II B
Allobates zaparo II B
Dendrobates spp. II B
Epipedobates spp. II B
Minyobates spp. II B
Phyllobates spp. II B
Mantellidae Mantella spp. II B
Microhylidae Dyscophus antongilii I A
Scaphiophryne gottlebei II B
Ranidae Conraua goliath - B
Euphlyctis hexadactylus II B
Hoplobatrachus tigerinus II B
Rana catesbeiana - B
1
Annex C was not considered relevant as it includes only species listed in CITES Appendices II or III.
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