General Impact
Eleutherodactylus planirostris' potential for rapid colonization and population explosion make it a potential threat to endemic species in introduced ranges. Since these habitats lack disease and predators to control their populations, greenhouse frogs can cause ecological detriment. They prey heavily on invertebrates including insects, spiders, and snails some of which are threatened. In addition to invertebrates themselves, greenhouse frogs threaten bird and fish species by competing for their prey as in the case of Hawaii's endangered Oahu 'elepaio (see Chasiempis sandwichensis in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) (MISC, 2007).
Location Specific Impacts:Hawaii (United States (USA)) Disease transmission: Greenhouse frogs may be a vector for nematode eggs in plants (Kraus and Campbell, 2002). Threat to endangered species: Eleutherodactylus planirostris' is a threat to Hawaii's endangered Oahu 'elepaio (see Chasiempis sandwichensis in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) by competition for prey (MISC, 2007).
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