Poison dart frog is the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to tropical Central and South America. These species are diurnal and often have brightly colored bodies. This bright coloration is correlated with the toxicity of the species, making them aposematic. Some species of the family Dendrobatidae exhibit extremely bright coloration along with high toxicity — a feature derived from their diet of ants, mites and termites— while species which eat a much larger variety of prey have cryptic coloration with minimal to no amount of observed toxicity. Many species of this family are threatened due to human infrastructure encroaching on their habitats.
The blue poison dart frog or blue poison arrow frog is a poison dart frog found in the "forest islands" surrounded by the Sipaliwini Savanna in southern Suriname and northern Pará (Brazil). Its indigenous Tirio name is okopipi. The name "azureus" comes from its azure blue color. While first described as a valid species and usually recognized as such in the past, recent authorities generally treat it as a morph of D. tinctorius, although a few treat it as a subspecies of D. tinctorius or continue to treat it as its own species. To what extent it differs from the blue D. tinctorius in southern Guyana, adjacent Pará (Brazil) and possibly far southwestern Suriname, is also a matter of dispute, and many herpetologists, as well as many people keeping poison dart frogs in captivity, have not distinguished these, with all commonly being identified as azureus.
The Mantellidae are an amphibian family of the order Anura, and are endemic to the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar and Mayotte. At first glance, the diminutive, brightly-coloured mantellas appear visually similar to the Latin American poison dart frogs, such as Dendrobates, Oophaga and Phyllobates, among others.
Mantella are a prominent genus of aposematic frogs in the family Mantellidae, endemic to the island of Madagascar. Members of Mantella are diurnal and terrestrial, with bright aposematic coloration or cryptic markings.
Aglyptodactylus is a genus of frogs in the family Mantellidae. These frogs, sometimes known as the Madagascar jumping frogs, are endemic to Madagascar. Systematic revisions of the groups were published in 1998 and 2015. Six species are currently recognized.
Scaphiophryne is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. Some of the species are strikingly marked, while others are highly cryptic. They are rather plump and generally found on the ground. Several species in the genus are threatened because of habitat loss and overcollection for the international pet trade.
The strawberry poison frog, strawberry poison-dart frog or blue jeans poison frog is a species of small poison dart frog found in Central America. It is common throughout its range, which extends from eastern central Nicaragua through Costa Rica and northwestern Panamá. The species is often found in humid lowlands and premontane forest, but large populations are also found in disturbed areas such as plantations. The strawberry poison frog is perhaps most famous for its widespread variation in coloration, comprising approximately 15–30 color morphs, most of which are presumed to be true-breeding. O. pumilio, while not the most poisonous of the dendrobatids, is the most toxic member of its genus.
The golden poison frog, also known as the golden dart frog or golden poison arrow frog, is a poison dart frog endemic to the rainforests of Colombia. The golden poison frog has become endangered due to habitat destruction within its naturally limited range. Despite its small size, this frog is considered to be the most poisonous extant animal species on the planet.
Indosylvirana aurantiaca, commonly known as the golden frog, is a species of frog endemic to the Western Ghats of India. The species is also known as the Trivandrum frog, the common wood frog, or the small wood frog.
Scaphiophryne gottlebei, commonly known as the Malagasy rainbow frog, ornate hopper, rainbow burrowing frog, red rain frog or Gottlebe's narrow-mouthed frog, is one of the most highly decorated frogs from Madagascar. The primary threats to this endangered species are habitat loss and capture for the pet trade.
Rhinella proboscidea is a species of small South American toad in the family Bufonidae, common in the Amazon rainforest. It is the only species known to practice reproductive necrophilia.
Mantella baroni is a species of small poisonous frog in the family Mantellidae.
The blue-legged mantella is a small species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is endemic to the Isalo National Park and areas south of it in Madagascar, a range it shares with the rainbow frog. Both are locally common, but endangered due to habitat loss and over-collected for the pet trade.
The climbing mantella is a species of diurnal poison frog of the genus Mantella that resides in the subtropical regions of northeast Madagascar. Although it spends a significant amount of time in trees or bamboo forests, this frog species is not fully arboreal and actively seeks areas with a water source.
Mantella madagascariensis, common names Malagasy painted mantella, Madagascan mantella, Madagascar golden frog, Malagasy mantella and painted mantella, is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae.
Blommersia blommersae is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is endemic to east-central Madagascar. Both the generic and specific names honour Rose Marie Antoinette Blommers-Schlösser, a Dutch herpetologist and entomologist who collected the type series. Common name Moramanga Madagascar frog has been proposed for it.
Dyscophus antongilii, the Madagascar tomato frog, is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae.
Oophaga is a genus of poison-dart frogs containing twelve species, many of which were formerly placed in the genus Dendrobates. The frogs are distributed in Central and South America, from Nicaragua south through the El Chocó to northern Ecuador. Their habitats vary with some species being arboreal while other being terrestrial, but the common feature is that their tadpoles are obligate egg feeders. Most species in this genus are seriously threatened and O. speciosa is already extinct.
The golden poison frog is a poison dart frog in the family Dendrobatidae endemic to the Pacific coast of Colombia.
Andinobates tolimensis, the Tolimense poison frog, is a species of amphibian in the family Dendrobatidae, endemic to Colombia in the outskirts of Falan and north of the department of Tolima. Previously it was included in the genus Ranitomeya, but was reclassified in Andinobates, along with 11 other species. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is toxic to humans and when captured will excrete a milky substance.
