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 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 harlequin poison frog, also known as harlequin poison-dart frog, is a species of poison dart frog endemic to the Chocó region of western Colombia. The frog is normally found on the ground of tropical rain forests, among fallen limbs or leaf litter. Some frogs traditionally classified as Oophaga histrionica were separated as new species in 2018. These are Oophaga anchicayensis, Oophaga andresi and Oophaga solanensis.
The green-and-black poison dart frog, also known as the green-and-black poison arrow frog and green poison frog, 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. 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.
Atelopus chiriquiensis, the Chiriqui harlequin frog or Lewis' stubfoot toad, is an extinct species of toad in the family Bufonidae that was found in the Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica and western Panama. Its natural habitats were stream margins in lower montane wet forests and rainforests. Its elevational range was 1,400–2,500 m (4,600–8,200 ft) asl.
Allobates talamancae is a species of frog in the family Aromobatidae. It is found in northwestern Ecuador, western Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and southern Nicaragua.
The polkadot poison frog is a species of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae endemic to Panama, where it is known as rana venenosa in Spanish. Its natural habitats are humid lowland and montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and is listed by the IUCN as being "critically endangered".
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.
Lehmann's poison frog or the red-banded poison frog is a species of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae endemic to a small part of western Colombia. Its natural habitats are submontane tropical rainforests. It is threatened by habitat loss and collection for the pet trade, and the IUCN lists it as being "critically endangered". It was named after Colombian conservation biologist Federico Carlos Lehmann.
The La Brea poison frog is a species of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae endemic to the Cordillera Occidental in the Cauca Department of Colombia.
Oophaga sylvatica, sometimes known as its Spanish name diablito, is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae found in Southwestern Colombia and Northwestern Ecuador. Its natural habitat is lowland and submontane rainforest; it can, however, survive in moderately degraded areas, at least in the more humid parts of its range. It is a very common frog in Colombia, but has disappeared from much of its Ecuadorian range. It is threatened by habitat loss (deforestation) and agricultural pollution and sometimes seen in the international pet trade.
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. It is a little known arboreal frog that inhabits humid tropical lowland and montane forest.
The yellow-throated frog, Trinidadian stream frog, or Trinidad poison frog is a diurnal species of frog in the family Aromobatidae that is endemic to the island of Trinidad in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad poison frogs can be found in rocky streams in moist montane forests. The species has cryptic coloration and is sexually dimorphic. Mannophryne venezuelensis from the Paria Peninsula in Venezuela were also formerly included in this species. Currently this species is listed as of "Least Concern" on IUCN, but there is a general lack of understanding of its distribution. The frog experiences habitat loss. Both sexes are territorial and provide parental care together.
The lovely poison frog or lovely poison-arrow frog is a species of frog in the family Dendrobatidae. It is found on the Caribbean versant of Central America from southeastern Nicaragua through Costa Rica to northwestern Panama, with one record just west of the Panama Canal. Populations from the Pacific versant, formerly included in this species, are now identified as Phyllobates vittatus.
Isthmohyla debilis is a rare species of frog in the family Hylidae. It occurs in the Atlantic slopes of the Cordillera Central and Cordillera Talamanca in Costa Rica and western Panama as well as on the Pacific slopes in southwestern Panama. Common name Isla Bonita treefrog has been suggested for it.
Isthmohyla lancasteri is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to humid premontane slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica and western Panama.
Isthmohyla rivularis is a rare species of frog in the family Hylidae. It occurs in the cordilleras of Tilarán, Central, and Talamanca in Costa Rica as well as adjacent western Panama. The species was thought to already have become extinct, but in 2007, it was re-discovered in the Monteverde Cloud Forest of Costa Rica when a single male was found. In 2008, a gravid female and few males were spotted. The common name American Cinchona Plantation treefrog has been suggested for it.
Craugastor andi is a species of rain frog in the family Craugastoridae which has not been seen since 1990. It is found in the Caribbean drainage of Costa Rica in the mountains and hills of the Cordillera Central and the far northeastern Cordillera de Talamanca, and in extreme northwestern Panama. Frank and Ramus (1995) give it the vernacular name Atlantic robber frog. It is known locally in Spanish by the generic names, used for many species, of rana de hojarasca, ranita or sapito.
Pristimantis altae, also known as mountain robber frog, is a species of rain frog in the family Strabomantidae with a bright coral-coloured groin. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.
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.
