Poison Arrow Frog

Most of us are familiar with frogs that we see in our garden ponds and the nearby streams. Have you heard about poison arrow frog or poison dart frog? They are also known as the "poison frogs". The poison released by this family of frogs were used by the tribes of Central and South America to poison the tips of their arrows. Here we look at the description, habitat, life cycle and diet of the poison arrow frog.

Poison Arrow Frog - Family

Poison arrow frogs belong to the class Amphibians and order Anura. The family is Dendrobatidae and the species is Dendrobates auratus. There are over 175 species of poison arrow frog. However, only three species have been documented so far. The life span of a poison arrow frog is ten years.

Poison Arrow Frog - Description

Poison arrow frogs are small and very much admired for their beautiful colors. Basically, most of the poison frogs are black with bright strips of red, green, yellow or orange. There is variety of glaring red color frogs also. The coloring of the frogs depends on the species. The bright streaks on the body of a poison arrow frog alerts and warns its predators that they are poisonous. The muscles and the nerves of the animals are affected if the poison of these frogs enters their blood stream.

Generally, the size of poison arrow frogs is 3 to 4 cm while some species may reach around 6 cm in size.

Poison Arrow Frog

Poison arrow frogs are native of the rain forests of the countries such as Costa Rica, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Nicaragua, Panama and French Guyana. The poison arrow frogs reside near the streams of the rain forest and on the cultivated land close to a water body. Many of the species live on the ground layered with leaf litter. However, the natural habitat of poison arrow is in a pool or a stream.

A poison arrow frog diets on spiders and small insects such as termites and ants. The frog captures the prey using sticky retractable tongue. However, in zoos they are fed crickets daily.

Poison arrow frog mates during the rainy season. During the mating period, the male of the species attract the females by vocalizing their voice to a shrill sound. Scientists say it is a ritual by itself. The male frogs court their females and eventually, females deposit eggs on the leaves. A single female lays around 40 eggs and these eggs are encased in a gelatinous substance. This substance protects the eggs during the gestation period.

During the gestation period of two weeks, the male poison arrow frog keeps a watch on the eggs. The tadpoles swim on to the back of the male frogs to be carried to a damp place such as wet coconut-shells, or bodies of water such as ponds. Here the tadpoles enhance further development.

There is no chance of the tadpoles falling off the back of the male poison arrow frogs because they are attached by mucus like secretion that is soluble only in water. The role of the parent frog is over once he safely sees the tadpoles to the final destination.

It would take almost three months for the tadpoles to metamorphose into small frogs.

Currently, poisoned arrow frogs are not listed as endangered species. However, there is a decline in their numbers because of the destruction of the rain forests.