poison frog, (family Dendrobatidae), also called poison dart frog, dart-poison frog, or poison arrow frog, any of approximately 180 species of New World frogs characterized by the ability to produce extremely poisonous skin secretions. Poison frogs inhabit the forests of the New World tropics from Nicaragua to Peru and Brazil, and a few species are used by South American tribes to coat the tips of darts and arrows. Poison frogs, or dendrobatids, are small and range from 12 to 19 mm (0.5 to 0.75 inch) from snout to vent in the minute poison frogs (Minyobates) to about 65 mm (2.6 inches) in the skunk frog (Aromobates nocturnus).
Source: Brave Wilderness
All frogs (order Anura) secrete poison from their skin; however, humans have not experienced toxicity or skin irritation from contact with most species. However, handling one of the brightly colored dendrobatids, such as Dendrobates and Phyllobates, requires caution because their alkaloid skin secretions are potentially lethal if absorbed through human mucous membranes. person or transmitted into the body through a cut in the skin. In fact, the poison on the skin of the dart frog, or yellow poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis), is so poisonous that the tip of a dart rubbed against its back will have enough poison to kill a large bird or a monkey. . The origin and production of the poison in the skin is uncertain, but at least in some dendrobatids it appears to stem from their eating of beetles, their primary prey. When housed in captivity and fed a beetle-free diet, poison frog skin secretions lack highly toxic alkaloids.
Unusual (conspicuous) or warning colors are common in irritating and toxic species of many plants and animals. The colors of poison frogs often include red, orange, yellow, even light blue, and green on a black or dark background. Not all dendrobatids are very poisonous or brightly colored; many are brown and well camouflaged (as in Colostethus), and their skin secretions are generally non-toxic and harmless.
The care of the female is usually done by the male, as occurs in all poisonous frogs. The male attracts the female to his abode under a leaf or log, which lays eggs and usually leaves. The male is left to guard the clutch; however, in some species, the female remains. When the tadpoles hatch, the parents let the tadpoles swim or crawl on their backs. They are then taken to nearby water (such as a stream, pond, or tree hole). There, the tadpoles slide off their parents’ backs and into the water to complete their development.
Visually, the mantelline frog of Madagascar (family Mantellidae) closely resembles the dendrobatids; however, they are not closely related. The similarity between the two groups is thought to be due to convergent evolution. In addition, the two are similar in physical size, as mantises are 15 to 120 mm (0.6 inches to almost 5 inches) long from snout to vent, although most species are less than 60 mm long. (about 2.5 inches). While mantis’ skin secretions have not been well studied, Mantella’s secretions are poisonous and capable of killing vertebrate predators.
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