Green Spotted Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus)
The Green Spotted Poison Dart Frog may also be called a Green and Black Poison Dart Frog. These frogs are native to Central America and northwestern parts of South America. Their habitat consists of rainforest and these frogs spend most of their time on forest floors.
These little creatures are a highly toxic animal. The very small amount of the poison the frog possesses is enough to make a human very sick. These frogs will only release its poison if it feels that it is threatened.
The males reach about 0.75 inch long while females are slightly larger, up to an inch long or bigger. As it\’s name suggests, the green-and-black poison frog typically has mint-green coloration. However, they can also be forest green, lime green, emerald green, turquoise, pale yellow, or even cobalt blue. Many also have splotches of dark colors, ranging from wood brown to black. The green-and-black poison frog is one of the most variable of all poison frogs in appearance. Some have black or brown splotches, others are dappled, or have splashes of black. Their bright colors serve as a warning to predators. To assist in climbing, the mint poison dart frog has small, sucker-like discs on the ends of its toes, which create a slight suction as the frogs climb, making their grip mildly adhesive.
These frogs prey on spiders, ants and termites on the forest floor. Their excellent vision benefits them to hunt the tiny prey. They are able to capture their prey using retractable sticky tongues. Scientist believe these frogs become toxic from the insects that they ingest in their natural habitats.
Information courtesy of animals.about.com, animals.nationalgeographic.com, zoo.org
Photo courtesy of aark.portal.isis.org