Inventory and conservation priorities for amphibian species from Cerro Verde (Rocha, Uruguay) and surroundings

Abstract

Cerro Verde Protected Area, on the coast of Uruguay, serves mainly to protect the marine fauna, which has charismatic species including marine turtles and dolphins. However, the terrestrial portion of this area has the conditions for hosting a great diversity of amphibians. The aims of this study were to build the inventory of amphibians from Cerro Verde, to assess its completeness and to compare it with the inventory constructed from historical records. Acoustic surveys were conducted monthly from 2007 to 2009 at 16 water bodies of the area. Nineteen species were found during this sampling period; the accumulation curve of richness showed an asymptotic pattern, indicating the completeness of the inventory. However, species previously collected in the area were not found during this study, suggesting a loss of diversity in the last decades.