{{Short description|Species of amphibian}} {{Cleanup|reason=Confusing language and reads very awkwardly as the different sentences do not snap together well.|date=August 2025}} {{speciesbox | image = Atelopus balios.jpg | image_caption = ''Atelopus balios'' in Awashima MARINE PARK | status = CR | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 14 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group |date=2018 |title=''Atelopus balios'' |volume=2018 |article-number=e.T54491A98640710 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T54491A98640710.en |access-date=14 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Atelopus | species = balios | authority = Peters, 1973<ref name="Peters 1973"/> | synonyms = | range_map = Atelopus balios distribution map.svg }}
'''''Atelopus balios''''', the '''Rio Pescado stubfoot toad''', is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to southwestern Ecuador, with records from Pacific lowlands in Azuay, Cañar, and Guayas Provinces.<ref name="iucn status 14 November 2021" /><ref name=Frost/> It is a rare species that was already suspected to be extinct,<ref name="iucn status 14 November 2021" /> but a single specimen was discovered in 2011 by a team from Conservation International during a hunt for missing amphibians.<ref name=AWE/><ref name="novataxa"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18012313_qDpzzW#1383534061_P65mxL5 |title=''Ansonia latidisca'' |publisher=Smugmug.com |date= |access-date=2011-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.conservation.org/NewsRoom/pressreleases/Pages/Global-Search-Lost-Frogs-Findings.aspx|title=Global Search for 'lost' frogs yields few findings, important warnings - Conservation International|website=Conservation International|access-date=2016-04-09}}</ref> The decline in amphibian populations is well documented. The Atelopus balios is Critically Endangered as a result of the widespread amphibian Chytridiomycosis fungus that has decimated other amphibian populations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eol.org/pages/1023450/details|title=Rio Pascado Stubfoot Toad - Atelopus balios - Details - Encyclopedia of Life|website=Encyclopedia of Life|language=en|access-date=2017-10-09}}</ref> There are only 10 known findings of the tadpole, Atelopus balios.<ref>"The Tadpole of Atelopus Balios (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Pacific Lowlands of Ecuador." Herpetologica, vol. 52, no. 1, 1996, pp. 66–70. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3892957</ref>
==Description== Adult males measure {{convert|27|-|29|mm|abbr=on}}<ref name=AWE/> and females {{convert|35|-|37|mm|abbr=on}} in snout–vent length.<ref name="Ranas Arlequines"/> The snout is pointed. The limbs are long and slender. The fingers and toes are partially webbed.<ref name="Peters 1973"/> The dorsum is olive green and is covered with rounded black spots that also extend to the limbs. The palms, soles, webbing, and perianal region are orange. The belly is almost totally cream yellow, except for the margins to which the black spots extend.<ref name="Ranas Arlequines"/> The tail makes up 52% of the total body length.<ref> "The Tadpole of Atelopus Balios (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Pacific Lowlands of Ecuador." Herpetologica, vol. 52, no. 1, 1996, pp. 66–70. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3892957</ref>
==Habitat and conservation== Its natural habitats are tropical lowland rainforests at elevations of {{convert|200|–|460|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="iucn status 14 November 2021" /> or {{convert|0|–|900|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=AWE/> above sea level, depending on the source. It is nocturnal and associated with streams.<ref name=AWE/> It is threatened by chytridiomycosis and habitat loss caused by agriculture, logging, and pollution. Its range does not include any protected areas.<ref name="iucn status 14 November 2021" /><ref name=AWE/>
==References== {{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name=AWE>{{cite web |url=http://zoologia.puce.edu.ec/Vertebrados/anfibios/FichaEspecie.aspx?Id=1142 |title=''Atelopus balios'' |author=Coloma, L. A. |display-authors=etal |year=2010–2015 |work=Ron, S. R., Guayasamin, J. M., Yanez-Muñoz, M. H., Merino-Viteri, A., Ortiz, D. A. and Nicolalde, D. A. 2016. AmphibiaWebEcuador. Version 2016.0 |publisher=Museo de Zoología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (QCAZ) |access-date=30 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321155007/http://zoologia.puce.edu.ec/Vertebrados/Anfibios/FichaEspecie.aspx?Id=1142 |archive-date=2015-03-21 }}</ref>
<ref name=Frost>{{cite web |url=http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/Amphibia/Anura/Bufonidae/Atelopus/Atelopus-balios |title=''Atelopus balios'' Peters, 1973 |author=Frost, Darrel R. |year=2017 |work=Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="novataxa">{{cite web |url=http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2011/07/atelopus-balios-rediscovered-15-ecuador.html |title=Rio Pescado stubfoot toad <nowiki>|</nowiki> ''Atelopus balios'' • Rediscovered after 15 years in Ecuador |author= |date=14 July 2011 |work=Species New to Science |publisher= |access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref>
<ref name="Peters 1973">{{cite journal |last1=Peters |first1=James Arthur |s2cid=84672986 |title=The frog genus ''Atelopus'' in Ecuador (Anura: Bufonidae) |journal=Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology |date=1973 |issue=145 |pages=1–49 |doi=10.5479/si.00810282.145}}</ref>
<ref name="Ranas Arlequines">{{cite book |chapter=''Atelopus balios'' |title=Ranas Arlequines |last1=Almendariz |first1=Ana |last2=Cisneros-Heredia |first2=D.F. |editor=Rueda-Almonacid, J.V. |display-editors=etal |year=2005 |publisher=Conservación Internacional |series=Libretas de Campo |isbn=978-958-97690-4-1 |page=59 |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259363493 }}</ref> }}
{{Commons category|Atelopus balios}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2236252}}
balios Category:Amphibians described in 1973 Category:Endemic amphibians of Ecuador Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot