Rare Chilean Frog Rediscovered After 130 Years
The elusive Alsodes vittatus was found in Chile's La Araucanía region, providing new insights into its biology and conservation needs.
- The Alsodes vittatus, last seen in 1893, was rediscovered by researchers in 2023 and 2024 at the former Hacienda San Ignacio de Pemehue in Chile.
- The species, described in 1902, had evaded detection for over a century despite multiple search efforts between 1995 and 2016.
- Two populations of the frog were located in the Lolco and Portales river basins, marking a significant milestone in South American herpetology.
- The rediscovery allowed researchers to collect the first biological and ecological data on the species, revealing it faces significant threats and may be endangered.
- The findings emphasize the need for urgent study and conservation of amphibians in South America's southern cone, where many species remain poorly understood.
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