Poison Frogs

• Mantella species indigenous to Madagascar
• Dendrobatidae: Dart-poison frogs or poison dart frogs

Dendrobatidae are new world, neotropical frogs, found in Central and South America. Small in size, the nickname name poison dart frog came from the fact that indigenous peoples were known to use their poison on blow gun darts for hunting.

In addition to their small size, many Mantella and Dendrobatidae species are colorful, a reminder to remind potential predators in their territory to stay away.

Partly because of their toxicity, they are active during the day, hunting insects, their food of choice.

In fact, recent research from the National Academy of Sciences, Convergent evolution of chemical defense in poison frogs and arthropod prey between Madagascar and the Neotropics found that the frogs' poisonous alkaloids result directly from their diet. They consume poisonous insects, often ants and millipedes, and the poison accumulates in their skin.

Because the poisonous alkaloids are not naturally occurring, many poison frog species are raised as pets. After a time, feeding captive bred poison frogs non-poisonous insects, creates non-poisonous, poison frogs.

Currently the IUCN lists one hundred and fifty seven Dendrobatidae species arranged according to eleven genera. Close to thirty are listed as either endangered or critically endangered. However, that number could be substantially higher due to the lack of data available on all of the species.

Seven of the sixteen Mantella species are listed as either endangered or critically endangered.

The above picture shows the Blue Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates azureus).

© 2010 Patricia A. Michaels