Photographs from a field trip to Ecuador (July-August 2008)

Andean and Amazonian Reptiles

Yasuni National Park Field Trip (eastern Amazonia, Orellana Province)

Atelopus sp. Field Trip (southern Andes, Morona Province)

Pontifical Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE) Endangered Frog Colony

Andean and Amazonian Reptiles

		Potamites ecpleopus
		Anolis fuscoauratus
		Gonatodes humeralis
		Gonatodes humeralis
		Leptodeira annulata
		Lepidoblepharis festo
		Potamites sp.

Yasuni National Park (Orellana Province)

		Amazonian rainforest
		Yasuni Research Station (PUCE)
		Yasuni Research Station (PUCE)
		This tapir is a resident of Yasuni Research Station.
		A view of the canopy from below.
		Thick forest around Yasuni Research Station.
		Rio Tiputini flowing past Yasuni Research Station.
		Fearless collaborator Santiago Ron (he committed a felony while working on a master's degree in Kansas).
		Bolitoglossa peruviana
		Chiasmocleis bassleri
		Chiasmocleis bassleri (venter)
		Leptodactylus andreae
		Leptodactylus pentadactylus
		Hypodactylus nigrovittatus
		Pristimantis lanthanites
		Pristimantis acuminatus
		Pristimantis conspicillatus
		Pristimantis kichwarum
		Pristimantis martiae
		Pristimantis sp.
		Allobates insperatus
		Amereega bilinguis
		Ranitomeya duellmani
		Edalorhina perezi
		Rhinella dapsilis
		Rhinella margaretifera
		Dendropsophus bifurcus
		Dendropsophus parviceps
		Hypsiboas calcaratus
		Hypsiboas geographicus
		Hypsiboas granosus
		Hypsiboas lanciformis
		Osteocephalis planiceps
		Osteocephalis yasuni
		Scinax ruber
		Phyllomedusa vaillanti
		A bird's eye view of Amazonia

Site of Atelopus sp. Field Trip (Morona Province

		Andean lowlands
		Andean cloud forest in early morning
		Andean forest in morning
		A spectacular view
		Forest showing signs of human development
		The stream that is home to the last remaining population of Atelopus sp. (undescribed species). The site is currently under threat because of a road project nearby.
		This photo shows some of the results of the road project. The construction workers remove material from the other side of the mountain for gravel and fill dirt, but they push some of the debris over the other side of the mountain, into the Atelopus stream.
		Conducting Atelopus surveys along this stream involved climbing waterfalls and other really intelligent activities.
		Surveying for Atelopus tadpoles (they are almost impossible to see!).
		Upland habitat around stream
		An Atelopus absorbing some morning sun in his natural habitat.
		A zoomed in view of the frog above. This is exactly the position in which we found him.
		Alan Lemmon swabbing an Atelopus to check for chytrid fungus, a pathogen that has contributed to catastrophic declines in this genus.
		Each frog has a unique belly pattern that researchers use to identify individuals.
		Emily Moriarty Lemmon photographing a frog on its perch.
		Amplexed pair of Atelopus sp.
		Dendropsophus bifurcus
		Dendropsophus minutus
		Hypsiboas calcaratus
		Hypsiboas calcaratus (metamorph)
		Hypsiboas lanciformis
		Scinax ruber
		Hyloscirtus phyllognatus
		Hyloscirtus phyllognatus (female with eggs)
		Cloud forest with ferns and tree ferns
		Tree Fern
		Shifting clouds on the mountainside
		Tree covered in bromeliads
		Forested cliffs with waterfall
		Cloud forest mountainside with white Guarumo trees
		Paramo (above treeline in the Andes)
		Paramo—the bioregion with the highest amphibian extinction rate in Ecuador
		Andean lowlands

PUCE Endangered Frog Colony

As a result of rapid declines in approximately 30% of Ecuador's frog species, researchers at PUCE started a captive colony to preserve the most highly endangered species. They are currently trying identify the environmental cues that will stimulate the frogs to breed in captivity. If successful, PUCE researchers hope to reintroduce these frogs to their natural habitat someday.

		Broad view of frog colony
		View of frog colony
		Endangered Ceratophrys (covered with pebbles).
		Rare Hemiphractus scutatus carrying ten babies
		Hemiphractus scutatus with froglets.
		Hemiphractus scutatus froglet with unabsorbed yolk sac.