Identification of Habitat Features Associated with Site Occupancy of Eleutherodactylus richmondi at the Carite State Forest in Puerto Rico

Diana López-Hernández; Alberto R. Puente-Rolón; Fernando Bird-Picó

Identification of Habitat Features Associated with Site Occupancy of Eleutherodactylus richmondi at the Carite State Forest in Puerto Rico

Diana López-Hernández^1,*, Alberto R. Puente-Rolón¹, and Fernando Bird-Picó¹

¹Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR-108, PR 00680. *Corresponding author.

Caribbean Naturalist, No. 84 (2021)

Abstract
Amphibian populations worldwide are facing declines, a phenomenon that can also be seen in Puerto Rico. Eleutherodactylus richmondi (Richmond’s Coqui) is an endemic species of anuran whose populations have been reported as declining or extirpated. Finding new populations of this species and understanding its specialized ecology is necessary for its conservation. We used passive acoustic monitoring and occupancy modeling to identify site occupancy of E. richmondi. Results showed that the percent canopy cover, terrain slope, and leaf-litter depth are good predictor variables associated with site occupancy, and the hour of the night is a good predictor for detection. The results from this study can aid in the creation of new habitat-suitability models used for the conservation management of this species.

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