An extirpated lineage of a threatened frog species resurfaces in southern California
November 29, 2017
Southern California has experienced widespread amphibian declines since the 1960s. One species, the Vulnerable California red-legged frog Rana draytonii, is now considered to be extirpated from most of southern California. In February 2017 a population of R. draytonii was discovered in the southern foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains of Riverside County, California, near the edge of the species’ historical distribution. This population belongs to an mtDNA lineage that was presumed to be extirpated within the USA but is still extant in Baja California, Mexico. This discovery increases the potential for future, evolutionarily informed translocations within the southern portion of this species’ range in California.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2018 |
---|---|
Title | An extirpated lineage of a threatened frog species resurfaces in southern California |
DOI | 10.1017/S0030605317001168 |
Authors | Adam R. Backlin, Jonathan Q. Richmond, Elizabeth Gallegos, Clinton K. Christensen, Robert N. Fisher |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Oryx |
Index ID | 70194479 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Western Ecological Research Center |
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