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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
poison
arrow frogs, poison dart frogs |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Amphibia |
| ORDER: |
Anura |
| FAMILY: |
Dendrobatidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Dendrobates
spp. |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
These
small and very colorful frogs often exhibit hues
of greens, yellows, reds, and blues combined with
black |
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| SIZE: |
Most
poison arrow frogs may only reach a size of approximately
2.5-5 cm (1-2 in.) |
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| DIET: |
Normally
feed on ants, crickets, termites, small flies, and
other small insects |
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| INCUBATION: |
2-4
weeks |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
40-50
eggs |
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| RANGE: |
Rain
forests of Central and South America |
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| HABITAT: |
Depending
on the species, some live close to water while others
prefer mountainous forest ranges |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Appendix
II |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
The
very bright colors of the poison arrow frogs, characteristic
of many toxic species, are a warning to predators. |
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| 2. |
Many amphibians create toxic compounds from glands
or have trace amounts of poisons on their skins
or in their bodies. Poison arrow frogs produce poison
potent enough to cause great harm to humans. Some
native tribes in Columbia are renowned for dipping
arrow tips in the toxins of these frogs. To obtain
the poison, the frog is pierced with a stick and
held over a fire until the heat forces the toxins
to come up through the skin. The droplets are then
collected in a jar. Depending on the species, 1
frog may yield enough toxin to coat some 50 arrow
tips. |
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| 3. |
Some species of poison arrow frog produce a type
of batrachotoxin so powerful that only 1/100,000
of an ounce can potentially kill a human. |
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| 4. |
Currently,
poison arrow frog toxins are being tested medically,
as small amounts may have muscle relaxant properties
beneficial to humans. |
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| 5. |
Unlike
many other frog species, poison arrow frog females
lay eggs on land in damp areas. The males then guard
the eggs until they hatch and become tadpoles. The
young then crawl onto their father's back while
he searches for water. When he finds it, the father
shakes the young frogs off and they are on their
own. |
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| Like
all amphibians, poison arrow frogs have porous skin
and respond quickly to changes in the environment.
The health of their populations can be an indicator
of the health of the environment. |
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|
|
| Conant,
Roger, and J.T. Collins. Peterson Field Guides:
Reptiles and Amphibians. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Co., 1958. |
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Flank, Lenny Jr. Herp Help. New York: Howell
Book House, 1998. |
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Mattison, Chris. Frogs and Toads of the World.
New York: Fact On File Publications, 1987.
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