Golden poison frog

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Onglets

Description

Distinguishing features

Golden poison frogs are the largest dendrobatids and unlike most other species of that family, their colouration is uniform — no spots, stripes or contrasting bands. These frogs are always brightly coloured, ranging from green to yellow to orange or white; however, the most common colour is yellow or deep yellow, hence the name “golden poison frog.” Juveniles are not as brightly coloured as the adults and they have dorsolateral stripes, which disappear with age.

Golden poison frogs do not have webbed feet and hands. The front legs each have four fingers of almost equal length, with the second one slightly longer. The hind legs have five toes of almost equal length, with the fourth one also slightly longer (note: fingers and toes are counted from the body outwards). On the tips of each finger and toe, there are tiny disks that aid with climbing and clinging to vegetation.

They have black, bulging eyes with horizontal pupils.

Phyllobates terribilis, which translates as “terrible leaf walkers,” are qualified as terrible because their poison is extremely toxic.

Reproduction

Golden poison frogs are polyandrous: the females have multiple mates. Males attract females by using a variety of high-pitched squeaks. When there is more than one male, they frantically move around the female until she releases her eggs (8 to 18) in the water. The closest male quickly fertilizes the eggs, which clump together in very slimy masses.

The fertilized eggs develop and hatch 11 to 12 days later, typically taking 2 to 4 days for all the eggs to be completely hatched. After a dozen or so days, the male frog carries the larvae one by one on his back to a safer location. The hatched tadpoles then begin to feed on tiny insects about the size of fruit flies.

Despite low reproduction rates, females are fortunately able to breed every month once they reach sexual maturity by age 13 months. Sexual maturity for males occurs between 12 and 18 months.

Diet

Golden poison frogs are insectivores and prey primarily on certain species of ants (Brachymyrmex and Paratrechina). They also consume small invertebrates such as termites and beetles, and any other prey smaller than a cricket, i.e., up to 2.5 cm.

Golden poison frogs use their long, sticky tongues to capture prey. They stalk and attack prey in one quick movement; this movement is so fast that it’s nearly invisible to the naked eye.

Although ants (Brachymyrmex and Paratrechina) are a possible source of batrachotoxin, it appears that it is the consumption of a small beetle of the genus Choresine (family of Mélyridés) which is responsible for the great toxicity of these frogs.

Predators

Golden poison frogs are often considered innocuous due to their small size and bright colours, but wild specimens are lethally toxic due to the batrachotoxins stored in their skin glands. Phyllobates terribilis is considered to be the most poisonous frog in the world.

The skin of one small golden poison frog can contain between 700 and 1,900 µg of toxins, enough to kill 10,000 mice or 10-20 people! These toxins prevent nerves from transmitting impulses, leaving the muscles in an inactive state of contraction, which can lead to heart failure. Direct contact with the skin of a wild golden poison frog can cause a burning sensation that lasts several hours.

The only known predator is a small tropical, arboreal snake called Erythrolamprus epinephelus, which mainly feeds on juvenile frogs because its mouth is too small to swallow adults. It is believed that the snake’s saliva contains a substance that breaks down the toxins of golden poison frogs. This snake is also resistant to the toxins produced by Dendrobates and Atelopus species.

Humans are the overwhelming cause of declining populations of golden poison frogs. While the Emberá and Noanama tribes capture these frogs to extract their toxic secretions (which are rubbed on blowgun darts used for hunting), the greatest threat to Phyllobates is the destruction of their natural habitat (deforestation, intensive agriculture, use of pesticides and fertilizers, and various types of pollution).

Golden poison frogs are also victims of cutaneous chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease that attacks all species of amphibians and is wreaking havoc on frog populations all over the globe.

Habitat

Golden poison frogs live exclusively in a tiny plot of rainforest along the Pacific coast of southern Columbia, at an elevation between 100 and 200 meters, sometimes up to 300 meters. This is an extremely humid region that receives up to five meters of rain per year.

Unlike other dendrobatids, golden poison frogs do not climb trees, but instead live on the forest floor among low vegetation, such as small saplings, little palm trees, herbaceous plants and ferns. They are sometimes found sitting on large tree roots or clinging to a plant, only a few centimeters above the ground, especially near small streams.

The tropical rainforest in which golden poison frogs are found is part of the larger rainforest area of the Chocó-Darién humid ecosystem, which runs along the entire Pacific ocean coastline, from Panama to Ecuador. This region, with its specific characteristics that distinguish it from the Amazon, is considered one of the most biologically diverse in the world.

Ecology, behaviour

Golden poison frogs are active during the day (diurnal) and strictly terrestrial. While most dendrobatids are secretive and shy, the same cannot be said about golden poison frogs, likely because their extremely toxic nature offers them protection. In fact, their bright colour is a warning to predators that they are poisonous. In the wild, these frogs usually live in small groups.

The call of the golden poison frog is described as a long, melodious trill, which is at a much lower frequency than that of other Phyllobates.

French name

Phyllobate terrible, kokoï de Colombie

Scientific name

Phyllobates terribilis

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Amphibia (Batracia)

Order

Anura

Family

Dendrobatidae

Size

Length of male: 45 mm Length of female: 47 mm

Weight

Less than 28 gramss

Life span

In captivity: 5 years In the wild: 6-10 years

Status

IUCN Red List endangered species (2017)

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