The IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG) is a volunteer network of over 300 members who contribute a wide range of expertise to the group, including that covering amphibian biodiversity in specific biogeographical, ecological, economic, social, cultural and political regional contexts.
Zones, Regions and Countries
While the ASG is global in scope, it is subdivided into a number of smaller geographical units representing either an individual country or region (group of countries). Each of these groups plays an important role in the wider global context. Regional ASG Working Groups are an important contact point for researchers, conservation organizations, governments and multilateral environmental agreements.
Each regional group is run by one or two co-chairs, with considerable flexibility in how each group operates and is structured given differing geographic realities.
The appointing of new members to Regional Working Groups is undertaken through nomination by the chair(s) of that region or another established ASG member, in consultation with the respective chair(s). All parties interested in becoming ASG members are invited to familiarize themselves with the ASG and to identify how they may contribute to the group by reading the 2019-2020 ASG Strategic Plan. Diversity of expertise is a benefit and for that reason the nomination of seasoned herpetologists through to early stage students is actively encouraged. The ASG is not an exclusive group; however, a certain level of expertise is required in order to ensure that the group maintains its role as an advisory authority in the field of amphibian conservation.
For questions regarding specific countries or regions please contact us.
| Country or Region | Constitution | Chair(s) | ARLA Regional Coordinator(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North and Central America and the Caribbean | |||
| Canada | Canada | Kristiina Ovaska and Sara Ashpole | |
| Caribbean | Caribbean islands bound by the Gulf of Mexico, North American mainland, eastern Central America, and northern South America | TBD | |
| Costa Rica | Costa Rica | Gerardo Chaves | |
| El Salvador | El Salvador | Francisco Samuel Álvarez Calderón | |
| Guatemala and Belize | Guatemala and Belize | Carlos Vasquez | |
| Honduras | Honduras | Ruth Marcec-Greaves | |
| Mexico | Mexico | Gabriela Parra-Olea | |
| Nicaragua | Nicaragua | Silvia Robleto and Allan Gutierrez | |
| Panama | Panama | Roberto Ibáñez | |
| United States | United States | Dede Olson | |
| South America | |||
| Argentina | Argentina | TBD | Marcos Vaira |
| Bolivia | Claudia Cortez and Arturo Muñoz | ||
| Brazil | Cybele Lisboa | ||
| Chile | Chile | Claudio Azat and Juan Carlos Ortiz | |
| Colombia | Colombia | Mauricio Rivera-Correa and Sandra Galeano | |
| Ecuador | Ecuador | Diego Cisneros-Heredia | Diego Cisneros-Heredia |
| Guiana Shield | Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, northwestern Brazil and southeastern Venezuela | Philippe Kok | Antoine Fouquet |
| Paraguay | Paraguay | TBD | |
| Peru | Peru | Giussepe Gagliardi and Victor Vargas | Alessadro Catenazzi and Rudolf von May |
| Uruguay | Uruguay | TBD | |
| Venezuela | Venezuela | Celsa Señaris and Margarita Lampo | |
| Europe, North Africa and West Asia | |||
| Europe | Westernmost Eurasia, bound by the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the watersheds of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways of the Turkish Straits | Vincenzo Ferri | Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailovic |
| North Africa | Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia | TBD | |
| West Asia | Turkey, the Levant countries, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, and the Arabian peninsula | Pritpal “Micky” Soorae and Uğur Kaya | Uğur Kaya |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | |||
| East Africa | Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi | Victor Wasonga and Simon Loader | |
| Madagascar | Madagascar | Andolalao Rakotoarison and Angelica Crottini | |
| Southern Africa | Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and Malawi | Jeanne Tarrant | |
| West Africa | Senegal in the East and North to Nigeria in the East | N’goran Kouamé | |
| Central Africa | Cameroon, both Congos, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Central African Republic | Legrand Nono Gonwouo | |
| Mainland Asia | |||
| China | China | Jiang Jian-Ping | |
| Japan | Japan | TBD | |
| Korea | Korea | TBD | |
| Mainland S. East Asia | Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and West Malaysia | TBD | TBD |
| Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Mongolia | Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Belarus | Artem Kidov | |
| South Asia (minus Sri Lanka) | Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan | Karthik Vasudevan and Sanjay Molur | |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Anslem de Silva and Madhava Meegaskumbura | |
| Maritime Southeast Asia and Oceania | |||
| Australia | Australia | Jodi Rowley | Conrad Hoskin |
| Indonesia | Indonesia | Amir Hamidy | Mirza Kursini |
| Malaysia | Malaysia | Chan Kinn Onn | |
| Melanesia | Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, West Papua and Maluku Islands | Stephen Richards | Stephen Richards |
| New Zealand | New Zealand | TBD | |
| Philippines | Philippines | Arvin Diesmos | |
| Singapore | Singapore | Leong Tzi Ming |