Poison Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae)

General Overview

• Common Names: Poison dart frog, dart-poison frog, poison frog, poison arrow frog.
• Habitat: Native to tropical Central and South America, including humid environments like rainforests.
• Behavior: Diurnal with bright body colors signaling toxicity (aposematic).

Scientific Classification

• Domain: Eukaryota
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Amphibia
• Order: Anura
• Family: Dendrobatidae
• Subfamilies and Genera:
  • Colostethinae: Ameerega, Colostethus, Epipedobates, Leucostethus, Silverstoneia
  • Dendrobatinae: Adelphobates, Andinobates, Dendrobates, Excidobates, Minyobates, Oophaga, Phyllobates, Ranitomeya
  • Hyloxalinae: Ectopoglossus, Hyloxalus, Paruwrobates

Characteristics

• Size: Typically small, less than 1.5cm to 6cm in length.
• Weight: Average 1 oz.
• Coloration: Brightly colored with a high level of toxicity in many species, serving as a warning to predators.
• Reproduction: Lay eggs in moist areas; tadpoles carried to water by adult frogs.

Habitat

• Geographic Distribution: Found in countries like Bolivia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and others.
• Preferred Environments: Moist lowland forests, high-altitude shrublands, marshes, lakes, and swamps.

Taxonomy

• Continually studied and revised, currently includes 16 genera and about 200 species.

Toxicity and Medicine

• Defense Mechanisms: Secrete lipophilic alkaloid toxins such as allopumiliotoxin, batrachotoxin, and epibatidine.
• Dietary Influence: Toxins are derived from a diet rich in toxic arthropods such as ants and mites.
• Medicinal Uses: Epibatidine used in research as a potent painkiller.

Behavior

• Territorial and Aggressive: Known for territorial disputes and aggressive behavior, even among females for mating purposes.
• Reproduction and Mating: Males call to attract females; females often choose mates based on coloration and territory.

Conservation Status

• Many species threatened by habitat loss, diseases, and the pet trade.
• Efforts in conservation include antifungal treatments in captivity.

Additional Notes

• Diet: Consists mainly of small arthropods, contributing to their toxicity.
• Unique Features: Some species exhibit cannibalistic tendencies in tadpole stage.
• Conservation Efforts: Include habitat preservation and disease management.

References

• Detailed taxonomy, behavior, and conservation efforts can be further explored in Poison Dart Frog article on Wikipedia.