ZooChat Challenge (Global) 2019

And I narrowly made it to the 100 club...

Düsseldorf Aquazoo (visited on 22-12-2019)
100 - African red toad - Schismaderma carens

 

One of the ones I missed I think. I found quite a few of Dusseldorf's amphibs to be very unobliging.

 

I thought the same! I missed the smooth newts, alpine newts, bird poop frogs, Australian green tree frogs, Riobamba marsupial frogs, cane toad and Oriental fire-bellied toads. Two of those would've been additions too, sadly.

 

Manchester Museum - 19/12/19

100. Phyllomedusa trinitarian - Trinidadian Monkey Frog
101. Atelopus varius - Harlequin Toad
102. Cruziophyla calcarifer - Splendid leaf frog
103. Cruziophyla sylviae - Sylvia's tree frog
104. Litoria splendida - Splendid tree frog

Thanks to @MagpieGoose for help with IDs

 

Aggieland Safari 12/23/19

109. Plains leopard frog, Lithobates blairi
110. Blanchard’s cricket frog, Acris blanchardi
111. Gulf coast toad, Incilius valliceps

 

Houston Zoo 12/24/19

112. Houston toad, Bufo houstonensis
113. Barton Springs salamander, Eurycea sosorum
114. Black-spotted newt, Notophthalmus meridionalis
115. Gliding leaf frog, Agalychnis spurrelli

 

I just came back from my first ever visit to Taronga Zoo and saw two very special (and critically endangered) frog species.
11. Southern Corroboree Frog Pseudophryne corroboree
12. Yellow-spotted Bell Frog Litoria castanea

 

This will be my last update of the year:

Mystic Aquarium
95) Three-Striped Poison Dart Frog Ameerega trivittata
96) Bird Poop Bug-Eyed Frog Theloderma asperum

Annoyingly, I will not be joining the 100 species club this year due to just a few too many missed species. I'm still very happy and admittedly surprised by how successful many of us have been this year!

Now for official challenge business: Due to my current schedule for the remainder of the year being extremely hectic, I will not have a chance to declare a winner or give a rundown of people's totals until at least a few days into 2020. I'd recommend everyone get in their final totals for the year by that time! I will try and get the 2020 challenge thread up sooner for people who are planning any January 1st zoo visits Thank you all for another fantastic year!

~Thylo

 

San Antonio Zoo 12/25/19

116. Danube crested newt, Triturus dobrogicus

Fort Worth Zoo 12/27/19

117. Kwiechow crocodile newt, Tylototriton kweichowensis
118. Red-spotted toad, Anaxyrus punctatus
119. Red-bellied walking toad, Melanophryniscus stelzneri

 

Are American Zoos open on Christmas Day?

 

- replied in PM

Most aren’t, others have weird hours. Of the 10 zoos on this trip, only 3 were open that day. I was hoping my trip wouldn’t be over Christmas Day, but that’s the only way it worked out with all the people I’m meeting up with.

 

Forgotten from Fort Worth:
120. Budgett’s frog, Lepidobatrachus laevis

Oklahoma City Zoo 12/28/19

121. Common coqui, Eleutherodactylus coqui
122. Anderson’s crocodile newt, Echinotryton andersoni
123. Great Plains toad, Anaxyrus cognatus

Am I done yet? We’ll have to see what tomorrow holds.

 

Today I went for the second time this year to Dierenpark Amersfoort - the Netherlands and this time the Nocturnal House was open and so I was able to find at least the - most prob. - last amphibian-species for this years challenge :

47 - Ticitaka water frog - Telmatobius culeus



At the beginning of this Challenge I thought I would at least reach 50 species but due to bad luck, missing quite a number of species which should be on display and visiting mainly Dutch zoos I only reached 47 .
The number of amphibian-species this year seen is however much greater ( I guess I saw at least 150 different species ) but most of them at shops and herp-fairs and these don't count.
Evenso I'm very pleased with the number seen and the fact that this challenge has put the spotlight on a group which is otherwise not of great intrest among a large number of ZooChatters - I realy hope this Challenge has changed this for at least some ZooChatters !

 

San Francisco Zoo (Dec. 28, 2019)
19. California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii)
20. Dyeing poison frog (Dendrobates tinctorius)
21. Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki)
22. Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas)

Well, uh, at least I saw 22 more species than any of the New Zealand Zoochatters saw.

 

Hong Kong Wetland Park (not a zoo but a public collection):
33.Hong Kong newt(Paramesotriton hongkongensis)

 

My final list for the year:

Heckrodt Wetland Reserve Nature Center - January 22 2019
1. Northern Leopard Frog Lithobates pipiens
2. American Toad Anaxyrus americanus
3. American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus
4. Eastern Gray Tree Frog Hyla chrysoscelis

Henry Vilas Zoo - March 30 2019
8. Cane Toad Rhinella marina
9. Lemur Leaf Frog Agalychnis lemur
10. Golfoducean Poison Dart Frog Phyllobates vittatus
11. Green-And-Black Poison Dart Frog Dendrobates auratus
12. Dyeing Poison Dart Frog Dendrobates tinctorius

Milwaukee County Zoo - June 16 2019
13. Common Suriname Toad Pipa pipa
14. Sambava Tomato Frog Dyscophus guineti
15. Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
16. Eastern Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum
17. Lesser Siren Siren intermedia
18. Chacoan Horned Frog Ceratophrys cranwelli

Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - June 21 2019
19. White's Tree Frog Litoria caerulea

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium - June 27 2019
20. Panamanian Golden Frog Atelopus zeteki
21. Axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum

Toledo Zoo and Aquarium - June 29 2019
22. Long-tailed Salamander Eurycea longicauda
23. Golden Poison Dart Frog Phyllobates terribilis
24. Ribbed Newt Pleurodeles waltl
25. Red-eyed Tree Frog Agalychnis callidryas
26. Dyeing Poison Dart Frog Dendrobates tinctorius

Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo - August 3 2019
27. Wood Frog Lithobates sylvaticus

Alligator Alley - August 9 2019
28. Pac-Man Frog Ceratophrys ornata
29. Oriental Fire-bellied Toad Bombina orientalis
30. Woodhouse's Toad Anaxyrus woodhousii
31. Green Tree Frog Hyla cinerea

Lincoln Park Zoo - August 14 2019
32. Solomon Island Leaf Frog Ceratobatrachus guentheri

Detroit Zoo - August 16 2019
33. Emperor Spotted Newt Neurergus kaiseri
34. Lake Titicaca Frog Telmatobius culeus
35. Emperor Newt Tylototriton shanjing
36. Giant Waxy Monkey Frog Phyllomedusa bicolor
37. Golden Mantella Mantella aurantiaca
38. Green Mantella Mantella viridis
39. Betsileo's Mantella Mantella betsileo
40. Arboreal Mantella Mantella laevigata
41. Splendid Mantella Mantella pulchra
42. Anatolian Newt Neurergus strauchii
43. Anderson's Newt Echinotriton andersoni
44. South American Waxy Tree Frog Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis
45. Bornean Eared Frog Polypedates otilophus
46. Denny's Tree Frog Rhacophorus dennysi
47. Mountain Chicken Leptodactylus fallax
48. Yellow-banded Poison Dart Frog Dendrobates leucomelas
49. Mimic Dart Frog Ranitomeya imitator
50. Mexican Giant Tree Frog Pachymedusa dacnicolor
51. Japanese Giant Salamander Andrias japonicus
52. Puerto Rican Crested Toad Peltophryne lemur
53. Narrow-striped Dwarf Siren Pseudobranchus axanthus
54. Striped Newt Notophthalmus perstriatus
55. Kihansi Spray Toad Nectophrynoides asperginis
56. Wyoming Toad Anaxyrus baxteri

Binder Park Zoo - August 17 2019
57. Smokey Jungle Frog Leptodactylus pentadactylus

I certainly did not expect to hit 57!

 

Here are my totals for the year. Species I saw for the first time in 2019 are bolded.

Shedd Aquarium - 01/13/19
1. Dyeing Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius)
2. Black-legged Poison Frog (Phyllobates bicolor)
3. Fringe Tree Frog (Cruziohyla craspedopus)
4. Blue-and-yellow Frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor)
5. Mission Golden-eyed Tree Frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix)
6. Mimic Poison Frog (Ranitomeya imitator)
7. Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
8. Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus)
9. Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum)
10. Grey Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor)
11. Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
12. Wood Frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)
13. Northern Slimy Salamander (Plethodon glutinosus)
14. Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)
15. Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)

Lincoln Park Zoo - 01/18/19
16. Oriental Fire-belly Toad (Bombina orientalis)
17. Emperor Newt (Tylototriton shanjing)
18. Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
19. Solomon Island Leaf Frog (Ceratobatrachus guentheri)
20. American Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)
21. American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - 01/18/19
22. Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)
23. Pickerel Frog (Lithobates palustris)
24. Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)
25. Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
26. Common Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)

Shedd Aquarium (again) - 02/09/2019
27. Silverstone’s Poison Frog (Ameerega silverstonei)
28. Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia)
29. Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda)
30. Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)

Brookfield Zoo - 03/01/2019
31. Borneo Eared Frog (Polypedates otilophus)
32. Rio Cauca Caecilian (Typhlonectes natans)
33. Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus)
34. Cope’s Grey Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
35. Anthony’s Poison Arrow Frog (Epipedobates anthonyi)
36. Green and Black Poison Frog (Dendrobates auratus)
37. Panamanian Golden Frog (Atelopus zeteki)
38. Titicaca Water Frog (Telmatobius culeus)
39. Smoky Jungle Frog (Leptodactylus pentadactylus)
40. Mossy Frog (Theloderma corticale)
41. Yellow-spotted Climbing Toad (Pedostibes hosii)

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (again) - 03/25/2019
42. Barred Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium)

Potter Park Zoo - 05/04/2019
43. Puerto Rican Crested Toad (Peltophryne lemur)
44. Yellow-banded Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)

Shedd Aquarium (again) - 05/17/2019
45. Fowler's Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri)

Brookfield Zoo (again) - 06/21/2019
46. Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni)
47. Hourglass Tree Frog (Dendropsophus ebraccatus)
48. Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)

National Zoo - 08/03/2019
49. Lemur Leaf Frog (Agalychnis lemur)
50. Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)
51. Shenandoah Salamander (Plethodon shenandoah)
52. Spiny-headed Tree Frog (Anotheca spinosa)
53. African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis)
54. California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense)
55. False Tomato Frog (Dyscophus guineti)
56. Black-legged Poison Frog (Phyllobates bicolor)
57. Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
58. Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio)
59. Sabana Surinam Toad (Pipa parva)

Willowbrook Wildlife Center - 08/20/2019
60. American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

Shedd Aquarium (again) - 09/03/2019
61. Ocoee Salamander (Desmognathus ocoee)
62. Seepage Salamander (Desmognathus aeneus)

Philadelphia Zoo - 09/15/2019
63. Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra)
64. Kaiser’s Spotted Newt (Neurergus kaiseri)
65. Anderson’s Salamander (Ambystoma andersoni)
66. African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)
67. Magnificent Tree Frog (Litoria splendida)
68. Sword-tail Newt (Cynops ensicauda)

National Aquarium in Baltimore - 10/13/2019
69. Splashback Poison Frog (Adelphobates galactonotus)
70. Smooth-sided Toad (Rhaebo guttatus)
71. Harlequin Poison Frog (Oophaga histrionica)
72. Yellow-striped Poison Frog (Dendrobates truncatus)

Milwaukee County Zoo - 11/16/2019
73. Cranwell’s Horned Frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli)
74. Common Surinam Toad (Pipa pipa)
75. Northern Dwarf Siren (Pseudobranchus striatus)

Brookfield Zoo (again) -12/22/2019
76. Chinese Fire Belly Newt (Cynops orientalis)
77. Bumblebee Toad (Melanophryniscus stelzneri)

Now, assuming that my post-Working-on-New-Years-Eve fatigue and presumed Dyscalculia haven't rendered me totally mathematically illiterate that should add up to 77 unique species. I saw a few others at reptile expos this year but per the rules they could not be counted towards my total. Additionally, this year I became the caretaker for a pair of barred tiger salamanders. I saw far more species than I expected to see, and I've definitely got a much stronger appreciation for amphibians.

 

If animals seen at expos could be counted I'd have made it well over 100 species believe you me

At the end of the day, your final statement is what I really hoped to achieve for people this year. I like picking groups that people often overlook to try and generate interest in them. I'm glad to hear it worked for at least one person

~Thylo