Poison Dart Frog

The Poison Dart Frog, from the family Dendrobatidae, is one of the most beautiful species to look at in the wild, however, as their name suggests, these frogs are poisonous to both other animals and humans. One type, the gold Poison Dart, contains enough venom to kill up to 10 full-sized humans.

Physical Characteristics

Poison Dart Frogs wear vibrant colors in bright shades of blue, orange, green, gold, yellow, copper, red and black, according to the “National Geographic” website. This type of frog ranges from one inch to two and a half inches in length. Over 100 types of Poison Dart Frogs exist in the world today including a black and green specie, a red bodied amphibian with blue legs that look like the frog is wearing jeans and a yellow and black frog. The colors shown on a Poison Dart indicate what area the specie lives in.

Habitat and Location

Poison Dart Frogs reside in central and south America in the rainforests of these countries and in some areas on the Hawaiian Islands. This type of frog can live up to 15 years in the humid conditions that surround a South American rainforest.

Diet

The vibrant amphibian prefers a diet of small insects including spiders, termites and other small creatures that scurry across the forest floor. The frog uses its excellent vision to spot the tiny prey it feeds on. The Poison Dart captures its prey by snaring them with its sticky tongue.

Breeding Facts

The male amphibian uses a high pitch sound to attract females for the purpose of completing a courtship ritual. The female finds leaves to lay her eggs on once the courtship is completed. Male Poison Dart Frogs return every so often to check on the eggs for a two-week period until they hatch. Once born, these tiny tadpoles swim up onto the male frog’s back, attaching themselves to a mucus secretion. The male carries the tadpoles to a safe location such as in a small tree hole where he drops them off and they stay until they grow into frogs which takes up to three months.

Poison Dart Frog – Dendrobatidae – Gold Poison Dart