Potential Distribution of the American Bullfrog (Lithobates Catesbeianus) in Ecuador

Resumen

The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) is a native species from eastern North America that was introduced to Ecuador in 1985. We built two models in Maxent, (1) one model with native records and, (2) one model with native and invasive records, to provide an approximate map of the potential geographical distribution for this species in Ecuador. Both models showed significant differences in the prediction of suitable areas, model 2 being the most consistent in relation to occurrence records. Here, we present the invasive potential of the American bullfrog to occupy a wide variety of environments such as Amazonia, if human activities lead to an accidental or induced introduction. Furthermore, this study is the first survey about the distribution of the American bullfrog in Ecuador, thus identifying some susceptible areas where conservation efforts should be focused to prevent new settlements and uncontrolled breeding of this species.