Andinophryne colomai is a species of toad

Toad

A toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura characterized by dry, leathery skin , short legs, and snoat-like parotoid glands...

 endemic to Ecuador

Ecuador

Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...

. It is listed as a critical endangered species

Endangered species

An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...

 due to a restricted range and habitat loss

Habitat destruction

Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...

.

Range

This species is known only from the type locality ("Cabacera del Rio Baboso, cerca a Lita', Carchi Province, Ecuador"), and one other locality close by in the province of Carchi, in the north-western Andes of Ecuador. It has been recorded from 1,180 to 1,400m asl.

Population

It is a very rare species, and there have been no records since September 1984. Subsequent visits to the type locality have failed to find any individuals.

Habitat and Ecology

The holotype was collected on a branch some 50 cm above the ground in the forest of a small creek at night (Hoogmoed 1985). A male was collected at night sitting on a tree trunk

Trunk (botany)

In botany, trunk refers to the main wooden axis of a tree that supports the branches and is supported by and directly attached to the roots. The trunk is covered by the bark, which is an important diagnostic feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the...

in a creek, while a female was collected in the afternoon on the forest floor near a creek. The stomach of a female was crammed with ants (Hoogmoed 1989).

Threats

The type locality has been severely impacted by habitat destruction as a result of agriculture and logging. In addition, spraying of herbicides in Colombia to control crops is polluting the species' habitat. An unknown intrinsic factor may also be responsible for the species' scarcity.