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Pelobates varaldii
- Varaldi's Spadefoot Toad
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Taxonomy/Classification
Scientific
Name: Pelobates varaldii
Authority: Pasteur and Bons, 1959
English Common Name(s): Varaldi's Spadefoot Toad
Other Common Name(s): Pélobate Marocain (French), Pélobate de Varaldi (French)
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| Class |
Order |
Family |
Genus |
| Amphibia |
Anura |
Pelobatidae |
Pelobates |
For further information, please see Amphibian Species of the World Online Database
For further information, please see AmphibiaWeb Online Database Species Report
Red List Status
(See 2001 IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria)
Red List Category:
Endangered (EN)
Red List Criteria:
B2ab(iii)
Red List Category Rationale: Listed as Endangered because its Area of Occupancy is probably less than 500km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat in Morocco.
Date of Assessment:
17 Dec 2004
Red List Assessor(s): Alfredo Salvador, David Donaire-Barroso, Slimani Tahar, El Hassan El Mouden, Philippe Geniez
Red List Evaluator(s): Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson and Neil Cox)
Population Trend: Decreasing
Geographic Range
Range Comments: This species is known only from fragmented localised areas on the coastal plains of northwestern Morocco. The northernmost location is the town of Larache, while the southernmost population is known from the northeastern part of the salt marshes of Oualida. The species may range further south than Oualidia, and this possible range extension requires further investigation. Yus Ramos and Cabo Hernandez (1986) mentioned the presence of Pelobates cultripes in the Melilla region (Spain), might refer to Pelobates varaldii, though this record is far outside the known range of any Pelobates species. This species is not found above 350m asl.
Biogeographic Realm(s): Palearctic
Distribution Status:
| Native
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Morocco
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| Native (Possibly Present)
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Spain
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Population
The species is declining; further details of abundance are needed.
Habitat and Ecology
The species is generally fossorial in habitat, occupying lowland sandy uncultivated soils, sometimes in the vicinity of cork woodlands. The species spawning sites are most often still temporary waterbodies (such as dayas and rain puddles). The species does not occur in anthropogenically-modified habitats.
Biomes: Terrestrial, Freshwater
Habitats: (See complete standardized list of habitats)
| Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Dry |
| Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) |
| Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks |
| Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) |
| Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) |
Major Threats
The species is severely threatened by intensification of livestock pasturing, including the pollution of stagnant waters with livestock droppings (Schleich et al., 1996). Additionally, arable agriculture may be leading to the loss or disturbance of the sandy substrate soil habitat, which the species is strongly associated with. Populations of the species are now often restricted to temporary ponds, and those remaining in permanent waterbodies are being eliminated through the presence of predatory fishes (Gambusia holbrooki).
| Specific Threat (See complete standardized list of threats) |
Past |
Present |
Future |
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1 Habitat Loss/Degradation (human induced)
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1.1 Agriculture
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1.1.1 Crops
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1.1.1.2 Small-holder farming
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1.1.4 Livestock
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1.1.4.3 Agro-industry
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2 Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species)
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2.2 Predators
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6 Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species)
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6.3 Water pollution
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6.3.1 Agriculture
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12 Unknown
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Conservation Measures
It is not known whether the species occurs in any protected areas. The species is not protected by national legislation.
| Measure (See complete standardized list of conservation measures) |
In Place |
Needed |
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2 Communication and Education
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2.2 Awareness
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3 Research actions
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3.2 Population numbers and range
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3.3 Biology and Ecology
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3.4 Habitat status
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3.5 Threats
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3.8 Conservation measures
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4 Habitat and site-based actions
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4.1 Maintenance/Conservation
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4.4 Protected areas
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4.4.1 Identification of new protected areas
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4.4.2 Establishment
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Utilization
There is no known utilization of this species.
CITES Status (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species): Not listed
| Bibliography
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- Bons, J. and Geniez, P. 1996. Amphibiens et reptiles du Maroc (Sahara Occidental compris) Atlas Biogéographique. Asociación Herpetológica Española. Barcelona, Spain. 319 pp.
- Busack, S.D., Maxson, L.R. and Wilson, M.A. 1985. Pelobates varaldii (Anura: Pelobatidae): a morphologically conservative species. Copeia. 1985:107-112.
- Crochet, P.-A. and Geniez, P. 2003. First live record of Pelobates varaldii Pasteur & Bons, 1959 in the Oualidia area (Morocco). Herpetozoa. 16(1/2):93-94.
- Dorda Dorda, J. 1984. Prospeccion herpetologica en el Norte de Marruecos. Bol. Ghezoc. 1(1):19-28.
- Herrero, P. and Talavera, R.R. 1988. Cytotaxonomic studies on Iberian and Moroccan Pelobates (Anura: Pelobatidae). Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia. 31(17):505-508.
- Mateo, J.A., Plegezuelos, J.M., Fahd, S., Geniez, P. and Martínez-Medina, F.J. 2003. Los Anfibios, los Reptiles y el Estrecho de Gibralter. Un ensayo sobre la Herpetofauna de Ceuta y su entorno. Instituto de Estudios Ceuties. Ceuta. 388 pp.
- Pasteur, G. and Bons, J. 1959. Les Batraciens du Maroc. Trav. Inst. Scient. Chérifien, Rabat, Ser. Zool. 17(14):1-241.
- Salvador, A. 1996. Amphibians of northwest Africa. Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service. 109:1-43.
- Schleich, H.H., Kästle, W. and Kabisch, K. 1996. Amphibians and Reptiles of North Africa. Koeltz scientific books. Koenigstein.
- Yus Ramos, R. and Cabo Hernandez, J.M. 1986. Guia de la naturaleza de la region de Melilla. Excmo. Melilla. 431 p.
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