Puro Species

For over 6 months, Juan carried out night time missions throughout the Puro Coffee Reserve in Ecuador, searching out species both known and unknown to science, that only make their appearance in the safety of darkness. Within the forests that are located on the steep canyons separated by little streams and roaring rivers, on the eastern side of the Tungurahua volcano, he discovered Pristimantis puruscafeum, reminiscent in both colour and patterns on its skin to that of a roasted coffee bean and now named after us.

Teagueia puroana, named after us, grows on the low branches and trunks of isolated, small trees. It differs in appearance from its relatives by its petals and sepals that taper to a long point. Before 2000, only six species of Teagueia were known to exist worldwide; three species found in Colombia and three in Ecuador. However, through the work of Lou and his students on these and neighbouring remote mountains in the eastern Andes, more species have been discovered.