Poison Arrow Frog

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Poison Arrow Frog
By Sirhan P4 English
Poisonous
Amphibian
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Animal Description

• Poison arrow frogs are also called poison-dart
  frogs because some of the Amerindian tribes use
  their secretions to poison their darts.
• Not all arrow frogs are deadly, only three
  species are very dangerous to humans.
• The most deadly species to humans is the
  Phylobates terriblis. Arrow frogs are not
  poisonous in captivity.
• Cutaneous chytridiomycosis was documented for the
  first time as a vertebrate parasite.
• The same antifungal that is used to kill
  athletes foot in humans can be used with the
  frogs and toads.
• Poison arrow frogs are known for their beautiful
  colors.
• These colors are used as warnings to predators
  that they are poisonous (their poisonous defense
  evolved to ward off predators.)
• Some scientists think that the reticulated
  pattern of the frogs also act as camouflage among
  the forest shadows.

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Habitat Description

• These frogs are found in Columbia along the
  western slopes of the Andes.
• Poison frogs live in the rainforests of Central
  and South America.
• auratus is found on the Pacific coast from
  southern Costa Rica to northern Columbia and on
  the Caribbean coast of southern Nicaragua to
  Columbia and the island of Tobago.

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Food

• Both feed mostly on spiders and small insects
  such as ants and termites, which they find on the
  forest floor using their excellent vision.
• They capture their prey by using their sticky,
  retractable tongues.
• They are fed small crickets daily.

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Protection

• They protect themselves by deceive theyre
  predator with their beautiful colours.
• They use theyre color to remind the predator
  that they are poisonous.
• Poison dart frogs protect themselves best simply
  by being deadly to consume. They are
  dendrobatids, part of a family of animals
  that includes some of the most toxic
  species on the planet.

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Birthing Process

• The mating season for auratus occurs throughout
  the entire rainy season from mid-July through
  mid-September.
• Male frogs go through an elaborate ritual to
  attract mates. The males vocalize, a trill sound,
  to attract females. The female lay up to 40 eggs
  on leaves. The eggs are encased in a gelatinous
  substance for protection against desiccation.
• During the two-week development period, the male
  returns to the eggs periodically to check on
  them. Once the tadpoles hatch, they swim onto the
  males back and he carries them to a place
  suitable for further development, such as wet
  holes in broken trees and branches, little ponds,
  wet coconut-shells, and even in tin cans and car
  tires.
• The tadpoles are attached to the males back by
  a mucus secretion, which is soluble only in water
  so there is no chance for them to fall off. Once
  at their final destination, the tadpoles are on
  their own. They need an additional three months
  to metamorphose into small frogs.

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Fascinating or Unique
Characteristic

• Most species of poison dart frogs are small,
  sometimes less than 1.5 cm. In adult length,
  although a few grow up to 6 cm.
• The only animal that can kill with just a touch.
  The toxin is not in the tongue or fangs. but in
  the skin glands.

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Problems

• European and American collectors prize the
  brightly colored poison dart frogs, resulting in
  a high demand in the international pet trade for
  new and increasingly rare specimens.
• Wild poison dart frogs are protected by treaty,
  but that increases their value to smugglers, who
  export them illegally to capitalize on the
  demand.
• Smugglers hide these little frogs in luggage, or
  concealed in legal shipments of exported tropical
  fish.

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Conclusion

• I like this animal because the color is beautiful
  to see.
• I dont like this animal
  because it have a toxin and
  its poisonous.
• I also like this animal
  because is small and cute.

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-Sirhan Zafirah-