Poison Dart Frogs

Have ull Nytime thought how poisonous a frog could be ?? What if I say that frog could be listed in top ten most poisonous creatures on earth?

Well…obviously all frogs are not poisonous …I am here talking specifically about Poison Dart frogs also called as poison arrow frogs….which belong to Family Dendrobatidae exhibiting aposmatic coloration(to warn predators frm attacking) and have bright colors.

They are small in size ranging from one inch to two nd half inches and known to be active during daytime.....usually found close to ground some species may be found at upto 10 meters height on trees ….Their average lifespan is 1-3 yrs in wild forests whereas upto 25 yrs when bred in captivity..

Natural habitats include subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, subtropical or tropical moist montanes and rivers, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, lakes and swamps……..

Golden dart frogs (Phyllobatus terribilis) are one of the most poisonous and are found in the rainforests and known to be endemic to Pacific coast of Columbia…..they usually feed on ants and insects or small beetles …the alkaloid poison is stored in skin glands.

Their mode of reproduction is external fertilization..males use vocal sounds to attract the females..often there r fights too between males....nd da stronger one gets da gal!!! :D

Have a nice look at the picture :) as one Golden Dart frog has enough poison to kill 10 human beings…Even if this frog walks over a piece of cloth and your pet comes in contact with the cloth , it would result in the death of ur pet..:(….

Its also interesting to know that in earlier times locals of Columbia rainforests used the frog venom for hunting….The Emberá people exposed frog to the heat of a fire, and the poisonous fluid that was released was collected. The tips of weapons such as arrows and darts were dipped in the fluid, and used to hunt. The poison effect was more than 2 yrs….

Toxins from the frog are being investigated for uses as muscle relaxers, pain relievers and appetite reducers.Some species like Epipedobates tricolor are useful ..as chemicals derived from them i.e epibatidine is a powerful painkiller….

Snake called as Liophis epinephelus has developed resistance against the toxin of these frogs and feeds on them..although it is not completely immune to high quantities of toxin…. Some large spiders also feed on blue poison dart frogs…tadpoles are devoid of any poison and thus fall prey to snakes and flies too…