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Family: Dendrobatidae
Golfodulcean Poison Frog, more...Golfodulcean Poison-arrow Frog (es: Rana Venenosa, Sapo Venenoso)
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Adult: Species description based on Savage (2002). A small poison frog (males to 26 mm, females to 31 mm). Dorsal: The dorsal surface is black with a gold, yellow, orange, or red stripe running around the snout and laterally along the back. An irregular light blue-green stripe extends from below the eye to the arm, and from the rear of the arm to the groin. The upper surfaces of the arms and legs are speckled bluish-green and black. Ventral: The ventral surface is mottled black and blue-green. Breeding season: Amplexus is characteristic of this group, with males and females facing away from one another, making contact only with their vents (Zimmerman 1982, Weygoldt 1987, Savage 2002). Egg: Eggs (up to 21 at once) are deposited on leaves in leaf litter (Savage 2002). Females may lay a clutch of eggs as often as every week (Savage 2002). Hatching begins in 13-17 days (Zimmerman 1982, Weygoldt 1987). Tadpole: The tadpole is dark brown, with a moderately long tail and shallow tail fins (Savage 2002). Tadpoles metamorphose in 45 days (Savage 2002). Habitat: Lowland forest to 550 m. Call: A low, raspy trill (Savage 1968, Silverstone 1975). Behavior and communication: Phyllobates vittatus moves mostly by walking, sometimes taking short hops (Savage 2002). Males are not territorial (Savage 2002). When courting females, males often chirp (Zimmerman 1982, Weygoldt 1987). Courtship is extended (lasting up to one week), during which time males and females touch each other frequently (Zimmerman 1982, Weygoldt 1987). Once eggs are deposited, the male stays nearby to rehydrate them every so often (Savage 2002). After embryos hatch, the male carries the tadpoles to a small body of water in the forest to continue development (Savage 2002). Type locality: Buenos Ayres (Costa Rica) Diet: The diet consists of numerous types of small arthropods, including ants (Savage 2002). Diagnostic description: Small in size, from 2.2 to 3.1 cm in length. More elongated wide head, large eyes. Back and black head. With a red-orange from the dorsal base of the thigh to above the eye golden dorsolateral stripe, orange and then continuing through the nose. With a white stripe from the base of the arms up under the eyes. Upper surfaces of the limbs and belly mostly blue-green. Lower surfaces of the black tips marmoleadeas blue-green. With a clear ventrolateral stripe on the sides. With ovoid and low below all digits without enterdigitales membranes (Savage, 2002) tubers. Habitat: They live in the soil of the rainforests. Reproduction: 3 tadpoles were found in the months of July and August, the water deposited in hollow tree trunks and fallen palm petioles. In Rincón de Osa (southwest) 3-6 adults carrying tadpoles on his back, in the months of June to August were observed. In addition, free-living larvae were found in small ponds on a fallen tree and bracts also drop a palm. Food: They feed on ants and other small insects. Uses: Individuals of this species are highly prized for use in terrariums, so they are removed from their natural habitat to be sold illegally, mainly in Europe and USA. Distribution in Costa Rica: In the low and humid south of the Pacific slope, between 20 and 550 m land. Lift (Savage 2002). |
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