E. antillensis response to variations in temperature and relative humidity at high and low elevations in Puerto Rico from 2024 to 2025

Coqui frogs in the genus Eleutherodactylus in Puerto Rico are threatened by projected warming and drying trends. This study isolates relative humidity as a performance variable affecting desiccation tolerance in Eleutherodactylus antillensis, a species that spans both high elevation (cool, moist) and low elevation (hot, dry) environments across the island. Specimens from Maricao (high elevation) and Arecibo (low elevation) were exposed to a factorial combination of two temperature treatments (20 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius) and three relative humidity levels (60%, 80%, and 95%) in controlled laboratory conditions. Body mass loss was measured as a proxy for evaporative water loss. Results quantify desiccation rates under varying hydrothermal conditions and provide baseline data to assess vulnerability of Eleutherodactylus species to climate change, identify potential climate refugia, and inform decisions regarding in-situ management or managed translocations.