Pre- and Post-Hurricane Acoustic Surveys for Indigenous Anurans on Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

Creightanya Brewley; Gregg Moore; Kimberly Babbitt; Paige Byerly; Renata Platenberg; Susan Zaluski

Pre- and Post-Hurricane Acoustic Surveys for Indigenous Anurans on Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

Creightanya Brewley¹, Gregg Moore^2,*, Kimberly Babbitt³, Paige Byerly⁴, Renata Platenberg⁵, and Susan Zaluski⁶

¹Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Nesmith Hall Rm 214, 131 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824, USA. ²Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Spaulding Hall Rm 254, 38 Academic Way, Durham, NH 03824, USA. ³College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire, Rudman Hall Rm G15, 46 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA. ⁴Centre for Wildlife Genetics, Senckenberg Research Institute, Clamecystrasse 12 | 63571 Gelnhausen, Germany. ⁵College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands, #2 Johns Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, USVI 00802-9990, USA. ⁶Centre for Applied Marine Studies, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Paraquita Bay, Tortola, BVI. *Corresponding author.

Caribbean Naturalist, No. 99 (2024)

Published 4 August 2024

Abstract
Eleutherodactylus schwartzi (Virgin Islands Coqui) is the only endemic amphibian in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), with a range reportedly restricted to just 6 islands. It is currently listed as endangered by the IUCN, but it has been over 20 years since published studies confirmed its presence; since then, major disturbances like the 2017 hurricanes Irma and Maria have impacted its habitat. The goal of this brief communication is to provide updated documentation of the presence of endangered E. schwartzi and 3 other native frog species on an island in the BVI before and after a major hurricane event, and to highlight the need for a more rigorous study of their habitat preferences, local threats, and conservation status. Using acoustic survey methods, we were able to confirm the presence of the 4 target species on the study island 2 years before and after the 2017 hurricanes.

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