by
Rick Chiang and Mark Hsu
http://www.lam.mus.ca.us/lacmnh/departments/research/herpetology/herpimages/
Poisonous
Arrow Frog
(Dendrobates
Tinctorius)
Classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Amphibia
Order:
Anura
Family:
Dendrobatidae
Genus:
Dendrobates
Species:
Tinctorius
http://www.nhm.org/
Oddity
The brightly colored poison-arrow frog is rightly colored to warn enemies
of its extremely lethal nerve toxins. Containing nearly 200 micrograms
of alkaloid toxin, as little as 2 micrograms of the poison can kill an
adult human. In addition, the poison-arrow frogs are brightly colored to
warn others that they are dangerous and poisonous to eat. This characteristic
is called aposematic coloration. Potential predators quickly learn
that the color is dangerous and thus leave the frogs alone. Male
poison arrow frogs also use this bright color to their advantage in defending
their territory.
General
Characteristics
Found in the tropical rain forests of French Guiana and northern Brazil,
Dendrobates Tinctorius is the largest of the Dendrobates species.
It measures up to two inches from
the snout to the tail. The frog is black in color with wide, separate
yellow stripes and black eyes, while its legs are blue with black spots.
The frogs are mainly terrestrial as they live on the ground in leaf litter.
However, the finger and toe tips of the poison arrow frogs contain glandular
adhesive pads that enable the animal to climb and reside in an arboreal
environment. They typically feed on small insects such as spiders,
ants, and termites. For communication, they emit buzzing, humming,
trilling or chirping sounds.
Mating
Courtship is initiated by the female, the active partner.
She will frequently vocalize and stimulate her male partner by touching,
shoving, tapping, and mounting him. They lay their eggs in a bromeliad
flower where water has collected after a rain. The male closely guards
the eggs and keeps them wet. After a 14-18 day period, the eggs hatch,
and the male will carry the tadpoles on its back to introduce them to the
water. http://www.lpzoo.com/animals/herps/facts/
Did
you know?
The Choco Indians employ the poison
of the frogs by poisoning the tips of their arrows. As they hang
the frogs by their legs over the campfire, the heat causes the poison to
moisten on the backs of these frogs. The Indians then wipe
their arrows on the backs of the frogs, making them lethal weapons.
These arrows are used to kill howler monkeys and other small animals.
The name poison arrow frog
comes from the Indians' usage of these frogs.
The poison from the poison
dart frog may have a potential therapeutic value that is still being investigated
by scientists in the medical community. It may be possible to find
ways to make muscle relaxants, heart stimulants, heart regulators, and
anesthetics from the poisons. However, it will be crucial to preserve
this species, as it is currently being seriously depleted by the rapid
destruction of the rain forest by human commercial activities.
http://www.nhm.org/
Links
Natrual
History Museum
Species
Data Sheet - Dyeing Poisonous Arrow Frog
Anura
Poison
Dart Frog
Reference
WWW:
Natural History Museum. World Wide Web
http://www.nhm.org/
WWW:
Species Data Sheet - Dyeing Poisonous Arrow Frog. World Wide Web
http://www.lpzoo.com/animals/herps/facts/poison_frog.html
WWW:
Anura. World Wide Web http://www.lam.mus.ca.us/lacmnh/departments/research/herpetology/herpimages/anuraa2z.shtml
WWW:
Poison Dart Frog. World Wide Web http://www.amnh.org/Exhibition/Expedition/Treasures/Poison_Dart_Frogs
Email
(in
case you happen to have questions)
ARCJEC@yahoo.com
Marky741@aol.com
