Green and black poison dart frog

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Green and black poison dart frog
Dendrobates auratus, poison dart frog.jpg
Dendrobates auratus in Lightbox 1.jpg
Two D. auratus from Panama
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Dendrobatidae
Genus: Dendrobates
Species:
D. auratus
Binomial name
Dendrobates auratus
(Girard, 1855)
Dendrobates auratus distribution.png
Range in red (Hawaiian population introduced)
Synonyms

Phyllobates auratusGirard, 1855 "1854"
Dendrobates latimaculatusGünther, 1859 "1858"
Dendrobates amoenusWerner, 1901

Contents

The green-and-black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus), also known as the green-and-black poison arrow frog and green poison frog (among others), [1] [3] is a brightly-colored member of the order Anura native to southern Central America and Colombia. This species has also been introduced to Oahu, Hawaii in an effort to lower mosquito numbers. [1] [3] [4] It is one of the most variably colored species of poison dart frogs, after D. tinctorius , Adelphobates galactonotus and some Oophaga species. From a conservation standpoint, it is considered to be of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Within the reptile and amphibian hobby, D. auratus remains one of the most commonly kept, and easiest-to-breed, dart frogs in captivity, as well as in zoos. [1]

Description

Although typically blackish with a variable pattern of green, other colors are also possible. Blue is seen in certain locations in Panama Dendrobates auratus (aka).jpg
Although typically blackish with a variable pattern of green, other colors are also possible. Blue is seen in certain locations in Panama

The green-and-black poison dart frog has the typical appearance of the members of its family; males average 0.75 in (1.9 cm) in snout–vent length, while females are slightly larger, averaging 1 in (2.5 cm) or longer.

The green-and-black poison dart frog is one of the most variable of all poison frogs in color and pattern. This variation is to some extent individual, but also depend heavily on exact location. Despite the name green-and-black poison dart frog, some variants have no green or no black; a few, like the brown and cream-white Campana variant, may have neither green nor black. However, most often, green-and-black poison dart frogs have a highly variable, spotted or banded pattern in vivid mint-green coloration, but this can also be a darker green, forest-green, lime, emerald, turquoise, or even blue, whitish or pale yellow. Mixed with this are splotches of dark or dull coloring, most often blackish, but ranging from whitish-brown and bronzy brown to dark brown and pure black. The amount of dark or dull coloring varies greatly (certain variants are entirely black, or dark with only a few small green spots or streaks) and may appear as large or small spots or blotches, or as a dappled or "splashed" pattern. [5]

Distribution

The green-and-black poison dart frog is found in humid lowland and submontane forests at altitudes of 0–1,000 m (0–3,280 ft) in southeastern Nicaragua on the Atlantic slope, eastern Costa Rica on the Atlantic slope and in the southwest on the Pacific slope, widely in Panamá, and into far northwestern Colombia in the Chocó Department. [1] [3] [6] An introduced population exists on Oahu, in Hawaii; [1] [3] [4] [7] the species was intentionally introduced there, in 1932, for mosquito control. Later on, it seems to have also become established on Maui. [4]

Poison

The green-and-black poison dart frog, while not the most toxic poison dart frog, is still a highly toxic animal. The very small amount of poison the frog possesses is enough to make a human heart stop beating.[ citation needed ] The green-and-black poison dart frog, as with all poison dart frogs, loses its toxicity in captivity due to a change in diet. This has led some scientists to believe that the green-and-black poison frog actually takes its poison from the mites, springtails, ants and other insects (such as beetles and flies) on which it feeds. [8] [9] [10]

Behavior

The green-and-black poison dart frog is semi-arboreal, hunting, courting, and sleeping in the trees. Like other dart frogs, they spend much time in the shallow pools of water created in the cup-like leaves of bromeliad plants. The same plants often serve as nurseries for tadpoles. [11] The small pools offer little access to nutrients so the tadpoles often engage in cannibalism. [12] As it is a tiny frog, it cannot obviously leap from branch to branch in the treetops, thus it returns to the ground when it wants to travel. Once on the ground, frogs may travel several miles in an effort to breed, find feeding grounds, or to take care of tadpoles. To assist in climbing, the frog has small, sucker-like discs on the ends of its toes, which create a slight suction as the frogs climb, making their grip mildly adhesive. [11]

Reproduction

Unlike other poison dart frogs, green-and-black poison dart frogs gather in large groups before mating. They squabble over territories; eventually, each individual male frog clears a small patch for himself. Females wander among the males, with the latter then attempting to impress the former with their bird-like mating calls. Captive female green-and-black poison dart frogs are known to fight amongst themselves in the presence of calling males. [13] Once a male has caught the attention of a female, he leads her to a site he has selected for egg deposition. The female lays her eggs, which he then fertilizes. In about 14 days, these hatch into tadpoles. [14] Their parents, typically the male, then carry the tadpoles into the canopy, with the tadpoles sticking to the mucus on their parents' backs. The parents then deposit their tadpoles into the small pools of water that accumulate in the center of bromeliads, and guard the tadpoles while they feed on algae and small invertebrates that inhabit the tiny pool.

As pets

Green-and-black poison dart frog in captivity in England Green and black poison dart frog at Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire, England arp.jpg
Green-and-black poison dart frog in captivity in England

Green-and-black poison dart frogs are popular exotic pets due to their small size, bright colors, and intriguing behavior. When they are in captive or zoo settings they are fed crickets, fruit flies. This causes the green-and-black poison dart frog to lose most, if not all, of its toxicity. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poison dart frog</span> Family of amphibians

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue poison dart frog</span> Species of amphibian

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. 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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strawberry poison-dart frog</span> Species of amphibian

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dyeing poison dart frog</span> Species of amphibian

The dyeing poison dart frog, also known as the cobalt poison frog, tinc, or dyeing poison frog, is a species of poison dart frog. It is among the most variably colored and largest species of poison dart frogs, typically reaching snout–vent lengths of about 50 mm (2.0 in). It is distributed in the eastern portion of the Guiana Shield, including parts of French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-banded poison dart frog</span> Species of amphibian

The yellow-banded poison dart frog, also known as yellow-headed poison dart frog or bumblebee poison frog, is a poison dart frog from the genus Dendrobates of the family Dendrobatidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden poison frog</span> Species of amphibian

The golden poison frog, also known as the golden dart frog or golden poison arrow frog, is a poison dart frog endemic from 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mimic poison frog</span> Species of amphibian

Ranitomeya imitator, is a species of poison dart frog found in the north-central region of eastern Peru. Its common names include mimic poison frog and poison arrow frog, and it is one of the best known dart frogs. It was discovered in the late 1980s by Rainer Schulte who later split it up into more subspecies; describing each as a specific color morph, and sometimes having a separate behavioral pattern. The acoustics, morphs, and behavior of the species have been extensively researched.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo</span> Zoo in Hawaii, U.S.

Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo is located in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, United States. This small 12-acre (4.9 ha) zoo is the only one in the United States located in a rainforest. It is operated by Hawaii County and receives its funding from the county and from private donations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cauca poison frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Cauca poison frog is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae. It is endemic to Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Granular poison frog</span> Species of amphibian

The granular poison frog or granular poison arrow frog is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae, found in Costa Rica and Panama. Originally described as Dendrobates granuliferus, it was moved to Oophaga in 1994. Its natural habitats are tropical humid lowland forests; it is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-bellied poison frog</span> Species of amphibian

The blue-bellied poison frog or bluebelly poison frog is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vicente's poison frog</span> Species of amphibian

Vicente's poison frog is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae that is endemic to the Veraguas and Coclé Provinces of central Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golfodulcean poison frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Golfodulcean poison frog or Golfodulcean poison-arrow frog is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae endemic to Costa Rica.

<i>Phytotriades</i> Genus of amphibians

Phytotriades is a genus of tree frogs in the family Hylidae. As currently delimited, the genus is monotypic and contains Phytotriades auratus, commonly known as the golden tree frog, bromeliad-dwelling treefrog, El Tucuche golden tree frog, or Trinidad heart-tongued frog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-backed poison frog</span> Species of amphibian

The red-backed poison frog is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae. It is an arboreal insectivorous species, and is the second-most poisonous species in the genus, after R. variabilis. Like many species of small, poisonous frogs native to South America, it is grouped with the poison dart frogs, and is a moderately toxic species, containing poison capable of causing serious injury to humans, and death in animals such as chickens. R. reticulata is native to the Amazon rainforest in Peru and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstone poison dart frog</span> Species of amphibian

The Rockstone poison dart frog is a poorly known species of dendrobatid frogs endemic to Guyana. As it is known from only one specimen, very little information is currently available on D. nubeculosus. It has been suggested to be one of the most poorly known species in the world.

<i>Anomaloglossus kaiei</i> Species of amphibian

Anomaloglossus kaiei is a species of frogs in the family Aromobatidae, commonly known as the Kaie rock frog. It was named in honor of Kaie, a great Chieftain of the Patamona tribe, who sacrificed himself to the Great Spirit Makonaima by canoeing over the Kaieteur falls in order to save his own people. It is endemic to Guyana where it is known from the Kaieteur National Park and the Pacaraima Mountains. However, as it is found along the Guyana–Brazil border, it is also possibly present in Brazil. This frog shows maternal care: female frogs can provide tadpoles with trophic eggs.

The Evolution of biparental care in tropical frogs is the evolution of the behaviour of a parental care system in frogs in which both the mother and father raise their offspring.

<i>Andinobates dorisswansonae</i> Species of amphibian

Andinobates dorisswansonae, the dotted 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. It is toxic to humans.

Andinobates daleswansoni is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae. It is endemic to Colombia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2020). "Dendrobates auratus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T55174A3024941. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T55174A3024941.en . Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Frost, Darrel R. (2016). "Dendrobates auratus (Girard, 1855)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Dendrobates auratus (Girard, 1855)". Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS). United States Geological Survey.
  5. ↑ "Auratus morphs resurrected". auratus-morphs.jeffravage.com. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  6. ↑ Acosta Galvis, A. R.; D. Cuentas (2016). "Dendrobates auratus (Girard, 1855)". Lista de los Anfibios de Colombia V.05.2015. www.batrachia.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  7. ↑ Amber Wright (30 October 2001). "Green and Black Poison Dart Frog or Poison Arrow Frog (Dendrobates auratus)". Introduced Species Summary Project.
  8. ↑ Scott Norris (14 May 2007). "Toxic Frogs Get Their Poison From Mites". National Geographic News. Archived from the original on May 17, 2007.
  9. ↑ "Dendrobates auratus Green and Black Dart-poison Frog". Animal Diversity Web.
  10. ↑ "Dendrobates auratus (Girard, 1855)". AmphibiaWeb.
  11. 1 2 Dunn, Emmett Reid (1941). "Notes on Dendrobates auratus". Copeia. 1941 (2): 88–93. doi:10.2307/1437437. ISSN   0045-8511.
  12. ↑ Gray, Heather; Summers, Kyle; Ibáñez, Roberto (July 2009). "Kin discrimination in cannibalistic tadpoles of the Green Poison Frog, Dendrobates auratus (Anura, Dendrobatidae)". Phyllomedusa.
  13. ↑ Wells, Kentwood D. (1978). "Courtship and Parental Behavior in a Panamanian Poison-Arrow Frog (Dendrobates auratus)". Herpetologica. 34 (2): 148–155. ISSN   0018-0831.
  14. ↑ Sihler, A.; Sihler, G. (2007). Poison Dart Frogs (Complete Herp Care). TFH Publications. ISBN   978-0-7938-2893-7.
  15. ↑ "Poison Frog | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants". animals.sandiegozoo.org. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
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