Pretty Poison

Some of the smallest and most striking frogs in the world are the poison dart frogs.  They occur in almost every color warning predators of their toxic skin.  Take a bite of me if you dare!  Over 175 species of poison dart frogs are found in Central and South American rainforests, freshwater marshes, lakes and swamps, as well as moist savannas and wet grasslands.  Some species are more toxic than others; the most poisonous is the Golden Poison Frog found in coastal Columbia.  It carries enough toxins to kill 10,000 mice and humans have died just by touching it, the epitome of the phrase 'small but deadly'.

Source:  Wikipedia

Poison dart frogs may only be an inch or two long and weigh just a few ounces. When raised in captivity they don't develop the toxic skin.  The theory is that in captivity the frogs eat different food than they would eat in the wild.  The toxins that collect in the skin come from prey items such as ants, centipedes and mites.  Some species live in family groups of six or more.

Strawberry poison frog   Source:  Wikipedia

Most poison dart frogs are good parents.  The male guards and waters the eggs until they hatch.  Then the females carry the tadpoles on her back to a water location, feeding them with her unfertilized eggs.

Dyeing poison dart frog  Source:  Wikipedia

The real confusion comes when one species can be 10 or 15 different colors and/or patterns and color combinations.  This is also a dyeing poison dart frog.

Source:  National Geographic

And so is this.

Source:  Frog Forum

Maybe that's why this one is just identified as a blue poison dart frog.

Source:  National Geographic

Look at the diversity of their colors and patterns.

Source:  Animal Planet

Source:  Science Ray

 Source:  African Memories

 Source:  Wikipedia

Nearly all the poison dart frogs are endangered.  It would be a shame to lose these little jewels of the rainforest.