Poison dart frogs are endemic to humid, tropical environments of Central and South America. The tadpoles remain there until they metamorphose, in some species fed by unfertilized eggs laid at regular intervals by the mother. Once the eggs hatch, the adult piggybacks the tadpoles, one at a time, to suitable water, either a pool, or the water gathered in the throat of bromeliads or other plants.
Īdult frogs lay their eggs in moist places, including on leaves, in plants, among exposed roots, and elsewhere. This is surprising given the frequency-dependent nature of this type of defense mechanism. Aposematism is currently thought to have originated at least four times within the poison dart family according to phylogenetic trees, and dendrobatid frogs have since undergone dramatic divergences – both interspecific and intraspecific – in their aposematic coloration. Their bright coloration advertises unpalatability to potential predators. Poison dart frogs are an example of an aposematic organism. For example, frogs of the genus Dendrobates have high levels of alkaloids, whereas Colostethus species are cryptically colored and are not toxic. Their bright coloration is associated with their toxicity and levels of alkaloids. Most poison dart frogs are brightly colored, displaying aposematic patterns to warn potential predators. Most species of poison dart frogs are small, sometimes less than 1.5 cm (0.59 in) in adult length, although a few grow up to 6 cm (2.4 in) in length. ĭyeing dart frog ( Dendrobates tinctorius) However, of over 170 species, only four have been documented as being used for this purpose ( curare plants are more commonly used), all of which come from the genus Phyllobates, which is characterized by the relatively large size and high levels of toxicity of its members. These amphibians are often called "dart frogs" due to the Native Americans' use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of blowdarts. Many species of this family are threatened due to human infrastructure encroaching on their habitats. Other species however, that exhibit cryptic coloration and low to no amounts of toxicity, eat a much larger variety of prey. The species that have great toxicity derive this from their diet of ants, mites and termites. Some species of the family Dendrobatidae exhibit extremely bright coloration along with high toxicity, while others have cryptic coloration with minimal to no amount of observed toxicity. This bright coloration is correlated with the toxicity of the species, making them aposematic. These species are diurnal and often have brightly colored bodies. Poison dart frog (also known as dart-poison frog, poison frog or formerly known as poison arrow frog) is the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to tropical Central and South America. For other frogs that are poisonous to humans, see Poisonous frog.ĭendrobates tinctorius "azureus" (top) and Dendrobates leucomelas (bottom).
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