Abundance, occupancy and habitat data recordings for Coqui Llaneros near Caño Tiburones; Arrecibo, Puerto Rico

The Coquí Llanero (Eleutherodactylus juanariveroi) is one of twelve remaining species of Eleutherodactylus frogs endemic to Puerto Rico. They are known only from three isolated populations separated from each other by ~30 km: Caño Tiburones, Arecibo; Sabana Seca, Toa Baja, and Carolina. These frogs are cultural icons and hold prominent roles in the energy flow of the island’s tropical ecosystems. While high local abundance (>3,000 individuals) and genetic diversity are indicators of resiliency, poor dispersal coupled with historically disturbed altered landscape appears to be a main impediment to recovery. Extensive field surveys in 2024, were used to investigate which component of habitat suitability, framed as alternate microclimatic covariate, vegetation composition, or mix covariate hypotheses, exerted greatest influence on Coquí Llanero occupancy and local colonization and extinction probability, by proxy of movement in Caño Tiburones, Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Additionally, factors influencing population growth and population abundance estimates were also examined as both are necessary elements in assessing population status and potential to persist over time.