Back from the dead: As many as 32 species of frogs thought to be extinct may not be extinct

• Through a literature review and field investigations, researchers at Michigan State University and collaborators in Ecuador have shown that as many as 32 species of harlequin frogs once thought to be potentially extinct are still alive in the
  wild.
  

• This work, supported by the National Geographic Society, provides a "ray of hope"
  in the context of grim narratives of biodiversity, especially amphibians.
  But the researchers also hope the news will generate a sense of urgency to better protect and preserve the rediscovered species
  .
  

• Over the past 20 years, clown frogs thought to be extinct have reappeared
  .
  But until now, the reports of rediscovery were isolated incidents
  .
  The new study provides a fuller picture
  of the current state of clown frogs.
  

• The team also collected new data on rediscovered species, including genetic data, that will help inform
  conservation efforts.
  The researchers also worked with local communities in Ecuador, including indigenous communities, who provided valuable assistance
  in rediscovering and protecting the frogs.
  

If there's been news about amphibians lately, it's probably not good news
.
For nearly four decades, a pathogenic fungus has been massacring species worldwide, bringing many species to the brink of extinction
.
Once a species is listed as extinct, it will most likely never appear
again.

That's why researchers were shocked
when they saw one type of frog, the piebald frog or piebald frog.
Now, an ecologist at Michigan State University and collaborators in Ecuador has conducted a new study that sets the stage for an unprecedented story of the vulnerable — or, if you will, a story of the vulnerable
.

Through a literature review and field investigations, the team found that as many as 32 species of harlequin frogs that were once thought to be potentially extinct are still alive in the
wild.

"I can't tell you how special it is to have something we never thought we'd see again.
"

The team's work paints a brighter picture of the future for these frogs and biodiversity
.
But the researchers also hope this will create a sense of urgency to protect rediscovered species that remain critically endangered
.

"We want people to leave this issue with a glimmer of hope that we can still solve the biodiversity crisis
," Jaynes said.
Jaynes works
in the lab of Sarah Fitzpatrick, an assistant professor in the College of Natural Sciences.

"But rediscovery doesn't equal recovery," Janis said
.
"The story of these frogs is not over, and in terms of conservation and protection, we are not at the level
we want.
We still have a lot to learn and a lot to do
.
”

"This study opens up many other questions," said Fitzpatrick, who is also a core faculty member
at the EEB.

"For example, why do these frogs insist? Our findings point to the fact that there may be no single explanation
.
"Now that we've described these frogs, how do we ensure their recovery?"

The team also included Luis Coloma and Andrea Terán-Valdez of the Jambatu Amphibian Survey and Conservation Center; David Salazar-Valenzuela of Mónica Páez-Vacas and Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica (Indoamerican University of Technology); Juan Guayasamin of the University of San Francisco in Quito (University of San Francisco), Quito; and Fausto Siavichay of Amaru Zoológico Bioparque (Amaru Zoological Biopark
).

Invaluable contributions also come from outside
the field of professional research and conservation.
The team worked with local communities in Ecuador, including indigenous communities, who cherished the frog
at least as much as the researchers.

"We really want people to understand how important
our partnership is.
We were invited by our colleague from Ecuador to participate in this work
.
"They've been working tirelessly to address these challenges
for decades.
" They bring a lot to the job that makes it possible
.
”