Silverstone's poison frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Silverstone's poison frog |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Dendrobatidae |
| Genus: | Ameerega |
| Species: |
A. silverstonei
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| Binomial name | |
| Ameerega silverstonei (Myers & Daly, 1979)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Silverstone's poison frog (its scientific name is Ameerega silverstonei) is a type of frog found only in Peru. It belongs to a group of frogs called Dendrobatidae, which are often known as poison dart frogs. This frog usually lives in warm, wet forests and near rivers in low-lying areas.
What Does This Frog Look Like?
The Silverstone's poison frog is a fairly large frog for its family. Male frogs grow to be about 38 mm (1.5 in) long from their snout to their bottom. Females are a bit bigger, reaching about 43 mm (1.7 in).
This frog has a rounded snout and a head that is as wide as its body. Male frogs have a small pouch in their throat that helps them make calls. The skin on their head, front legs, and belly is smooth. However, the skin on their back and hind legs feels bumpy.
Their fingers are flat and have wide tips. They do not have webbing between their fingers or toes. The frog's head and back are usually orange-red, sometimes with black spots. Its hind legs are mostly black. The front legs and belly can be black or orange. The palms of their hands and feet, and the underside of their toes, are grey or orange.
Where Does This Frog Live?
The Silverstone's poison frog is found only in Peru. It lives in the Cordillera Azul mountain range, which is in the Huánuco Department. Here, it can be found at an altitude of about 1,330 m (4,364 ft) above sea level.
Scientists are not exactly sure how far this frog spreads, so its home range might be larger than we know. Some of these frogs have also been moved to an area near Tarapoto in the San Martín Region. However, we don't know if they have successfully made a new home there.
Life and Habits of the Poison Frog
The Silverstone's poison frog lives on the ground in tropical mountain forests. You can often find it among the fallen leaves on the forest floor.
During the time when they are ready to have babies, male frogs will protect their space. They call out to attract female frogs. The female lays about thirty eggs in a small group, usually in a single layer under leaves. The male frog then guards these eggs until they hatch.
Once the eggs hatch, the male carries the tiny tadpoles on his back. He takes them to a good spot, like a small pool of water that appears after rain, or a water-filled crack in a rock. The tadpoles then grow there until they change into young frogs. This process of changing from a tadpole to a frog is called metamorphosis.
The bright colors of this frog are a warning sign to other animals. These colors likely tell predators, like snakes, that the frog tastes bad or is poisonous.
 | Janet Taylor Pickett |
 | Synthia Saint James |
 | Howardena Pindell |
 | Faith Ringgold |
