ENGLISH WORD

INVESTIGATION OF THE TITICACA FROG.

Members:
 Gloria Estefay Sojo
 Luis Miguel Vera
 GUILLERMO MACHO
Teacher:
Juan Carlos Ramos Coveñas

GIANT TITICACA FROG

Common names: Giant frog, Jamphatu huankele
(Aym.), keles
Species: Telmatobius culeus (Garman, 1875)
Threat category: Critically Endangered (MMAyA, 2009
and IUCN, 2004)
Species with a large body, a frontally rounded head,
broad and flattened, and a hidden eardrum. Its main
characteristic of the Giant Titicaca Frog is its skin,
which is soft and loose in the shape of a sack and hangs
in detached folds. Dorsally it is very glandular causing,
when the species is caught by hand, a very sticky
mucous secretion, although not irritating. The skin may
be warty on the sides. The coloration of the back is
variable in the different individuals, from uniform light
olive to dark with different designs that can vary from
white specks or dots to appearing grey, ventrally the
color is lighter and more uniform and can be white,
light gray or orange as usual. It is observed in the Minor
Lake. The anterior fingers are free, and the posterior
semi-united. The length of its body is greater than 140
mm and its weight is around 150 g. Depending on the
place of capture, the size is variable, having found the
largest specimens in the surroundings of the Isla del
Sol, weighing more than 380 g (modified from Garman
1875).
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Distribution: It is an endemic species of Lake Titicaca,
department of La Paz in Bolivia and Puno in Peru
(Vellard, 1951, 1991), found in the Northern Puna
ecoregion (Ibisch et al., 2003).
Habitat: The distribution of the species is preferably on
the coast, where the presence of macrophytes reaches
depths of more than 10 m (Dejoux, 1991).
Conservation status: There are no current conservation
measures at the national level, however, like other
species, it is protected by Supreme Decree 25458 of the
Indefinite General Closed Season, and the
Environmental Law 1333 (1992) in its articles 52 to 57.
Conservation measures: Among the proposed
conservation measures, since it is a species with
potential for commercialization, before thinking about
sustainable use, one should think about starting a
conservation program considering that its
commercialization is not profitable. Some of the
possible measures are:
1) develop regulations that prohibit the sale of this
species alive or dead.
2) generate strategies to minimize the impact of human
activities on the Lake (organic pollution, garbage,
sewage, pesticides, hunting).
3) develop awareness programs on the importance of
this species, at the local level.

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4) increase knowledge about biology and ecology.
5) initiate a monitoring program in the medium and
long term of the populations in both sectors of Lake
Titicaca and.
6) captive breeding for restocking purposes.