Atelopus longirostris, an arlequin frog or jambato, is a member of the family of true toad

True toad

Bufonidae is the family of the true toads, members of the order Anura . They are the only family of anurans all members of which are known as "toads." The bufonids now comprise more than 35 genera, Bufo being the most widespread and well known.-Characteristics:True toads are widespread and occur...

s: Bufonidae. It has been recorded only in northern Ecuador

Ecuador

Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...

 (all Colombia

Colombia

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

n records are attributed to different species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

). The scientific name of this species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 means: long-snout; and the species has been named in Spanish as the Jambato Hocicudo (Long-snouted Jambato).

The species has been classified as extinct, due to huge declines probably related to chytridiomycosis

Chytridiomycosis

Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease of amphibians, caused by the chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a non-hyphal zoosporic fungus. Chytridiomycosis has been linked to dramatic population declines or even extinctions of amphibian species in western North America, Central America, South...

, climate change

Climate change

Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...

, among other synergistic causes. The species has not been recorded since 1989, despite some searching in historical localities.

Type locality

Known from the western slopes of the northern Ecuadorian Andes in the provinces of Esmeraldas, Imbabura, Pichincha, and Cotopaxi, up to 2500 m elevation. It inhabits humid montane forests.

Description

Atelopus

Atelopus

Atelopus, commonly known as harlequin frogs, is a large genus of true toads from Central and South America, ranging as far north as Costa Rica and as far south as Bolivia. Atelopus are small, generally brightly colored and diurnal. Most species are associated with mid- to high-elevation streams...

 longirostris has a slender body with long legs (males up to 35 mm, and females up to 47 mm). The dorsum

Dorsum (anatomy)

In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...

 is brown with yellow or cream rounded spots. The flanks are dark brown or black. The venter

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

is whitish with some brown suffusion in the throat and chest.