This species is known from the Serrania de San Lorenzo, Tagua (L. Bravo-Valencia pers. comm. 2016), and Serrania de Cebolleta in the northwestern flank of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, northern Colombia, at 1,520–2,200 m asl. Its EOO is 99 km2 and it occurs in three threat-defined locations.
Habitat and Ecology
This terrestrial, nocturnal species occurs in riparian forest (Carvajalino-Fernández et al. 2008). During the day, it can be found under rocks along rivers in very humid areas. At night, it is found on top of leaves or branches, on bushes around 20 cm above the ground. It breeds by direct development.
It is a rare species, but was reported to be common at San Lorenzo, Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta during 2008–2014, where 23 individuals were found (Rueda-Solano et al. 2016). Due to ongoing decline in the extent and quality of habitat, the population is suspected to be decreasing.
The main threats to the species are agriculture, mainly coffee plantations, pollution from agrochemicals, and logging. In the 2008 assessment, the species was thought to be susceptible to infection by the chytrid fungus, but there is no further information on this threat (Colombia Red List Assessment Workshop 2016). Twenty-three individuals were found during a survey for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis at San Lorenzo Experimental Station between 2008 and 2014, although no individuals tested positive for the disease (Rueda-Solano et al. 2016).
The species is present in the private protected area El Dorado.
Improved habitat protection is required at sites where this species is known to occur.
More information is needed on this species' distribution, population status, natural history, and threats.
Red List Status
Listed as Endangered because of its extent of occurrence (EOO) of 99 km2, it occurs in three threat-defined locations, and there is a continuing decline in the area and quality of its habitat in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta due to agricultural activities, logging and pollution.
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2017. Pristimantis carmelitae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T56494A85859561. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T56494A85859561.en .Downloaded on 22 November 2018