Recounting two populations of amphibian species, Rhinella spinulosa and Telmatobius jelskii in the Mantaro Valley
Abstract
The aim of this research was to study two representative amphibians’ populations; Rhinella spinulosa of terrestrial habits and Telmatobius jelskii of aquatic ones; to determine the current distribution of both species in the Shullcas, Chanchas and Cunas rivers in the Huancayo province, department of Junín, located at 3200 meters of altitude. We used the Species Registration method by Visual Encounter (REV). Regarding the results of this study there were only two juvenile individuals of complete metamorphosis belonging to the species Rhinella spinulosa in the Shullcas River; no individual of the species Telmatobius jelskii was found. An amphibian population of the species R. spinulosa was found in the Chanchas River in three sampling replicates; some individuals of about the same age, small juveniles who had recently finished metamorphosis, were captured for data collection; and no individuals of the species T. jelskii were found. In the Cunas River only 7 individuals of the R. spinulosa species were found in the three collecting processes which were placed in isolation in several points. In the investigated habitats anthropogenic disturbances were observed being the most notorious, a changing in land use. Habitat alteration was found in the three rivers studied, which clearly modified the distribution and abundance; this could be the main cause of the populations’ disappearance.
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