Strawberry poison-dart frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Strawberry poison-dart frog |
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Dendrobates pumilio Schmidt, 1857 |
The strawberry poison frog, also known as the strawberry poison-dart frog or blue jeans poison frog (Oophaga pumilio), is a small, colorful frog. You can find it in Central America, from Nicaragua through Costa Rica and into Panama. These frogs often live in wet, low-lying forests. They can also be found in places where the land has been changed by people, like farms.
Strawberry poison frogs are famous for their many different colors. There are about 15 to 30 different color patterns, called morphs. Most of these morphs pass their colors down to their babies. While not the most poisonous of all poison dart frogs, this frog is the most toxic in its own group, Oophaga.
Contents
How the Strawberry Poison Frog Gets Its Poison
The strawberry poison frog's skin becomes toxic, or poisonous, because of what it eats. When these frogs eat certain types of tiny mites and ants, their skin becomes harmful. This is similar to how many other poison dart frogs get their toxins.
The toxins are special chemicals called alkaloids. The specific toxin in this frog is called Pumiliotoxin 251D. This toxin can harm the heart and affect how cells work. If an animal eats a strawberry poison frog, it might have seizures, become paralyzed, or even die.
As these frogs grow up, their bodies make more of the glands that store toxins. Female frogs often have about 53% more toxins than adult males.
Tiny mites called Oribatida are a key source of these toxins. The toxins are found in special glands within the adult mites. When the frog eats these mites, it takes in the toxins.
Certain types of formicinae ants also contribute to the frog's skin toxicity. Frogs get and store these toxins from ants they eat. The amount and type of toxins in frogs can vary. This depends on what kind of prey is available in their habitat.
Young tadpoles also get toxins from their mothers. This means mothers give their vulnerable young chemical protection. This is one of the first times scientists have seen parents giving protection to their young after they hatch.
When a mother frog is raising her tadpoles, she drops each one into a small pool of water, often in a bromeliad plant. Then, she feeds them unfertilized eggs from her own body. Tadpoles that don't get these special eggs won't have the toxins. This feeding step is very important for the tadpoles to get their poison from their mother. Without it, the young tadpoles are more likely to be eaten by other animals.
Daily Life and Behavior
Strawberry poison frogs are active during the day. They mostly live on the ground, often found among fallen leaves in forests or disturbed areas.
Studies show that male frogs choose the best places to live. They look for areas with good resources, even if it means they have to work harder to defend them. Males who are better at fighting often guard smaller areas that have more female frogs.
Most frogs that make loud calls to compete are bigger and healthier. But strawberry poison frogs call less often. This helps them save energy. Female frogs, on the other hand, choose where to live based on where they can raise their tadpoles.
Even though they are brightly colored and toxic, these frogs are quite small. They usually grow to be about 17.5 to 22 millimeters (about 0.7 to 0.9 inches) long.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Strawberry poison frogs breed externally, meaning the eggs are fertilized outside the female's body. Frogs in the Oophaga group are known for taking great care of their young. Strawberry poison frogs have both parents help. The males protect and water the eggs. The females feed the tadpoles with unfertilized eggs.
While both parents help, the female frog puts in more effort. She spends more energy and time, and it means she can't have as many other babies. When choosing a mate, females often pick the closest male that is calling, rather than the "best" male.
Females give their tadpoles energy-rich eggs for 6 to 8 weeks, until the tadpoles change into froglets. They usually care for only one group of four to six tadpoles at a time. Males help by watering and protecting the eggs for a shorter time (10 to 12 days). This takes less energy, so males can care for many nests at once.
Scientists believe the mother's strong care is because many eggs don't survive. Only about 5 to 12% of the eggs become tadpoles. So, the female makes sure those few tadpoles that do hatch have the best chance to live.
After mating, the female lays three to five eggs on a leaf or in a bromeliad plant. The male then brings water in his cloaca (a body opening) to keep the eggs wet. After about 10 days, the eggs hatch. The female then carries the tadpoles on her back to a water-filled spot.
Often, these spots are in bromeliad plants. But any suitable place with water can be used, like tree knots, small puddles, or even human trash like aluminum cans.
Each tadpole is placed alone in its own water spot. After this, the female visits each tadpole every few days. She lays several unfertilized food eggs for them. O. pumilio tadpoles must eat these eggs. They cannot get food from anything else.
After about a month, the tadpole changes into a small froglet. It usually stays near its water source for a few days to be safe while its tail disappears.
Frog Family Tree
The strawberry poison frog belongs to the group Oophaga. However, you might still sometimes hear it called Dendrobates pumilio. Scientists believe that all the frogs in the Oophaga group are closely related. They think these frogs became separate species fairly recently, after the land bridge connecting North and South America formed about 3 to 5 million years ago. The strawberry poison frog is thought to be most closely related to the Oophaga arborea and Oophaga sylvatica species.
Where They Live and How They Adapt
These frogs use scattered structures in changed areas to help them cool down. However, O. pumilio frogs are still warmer than other frog species living in thick forests. They can handle temperatures up to 27 degrees Celsius (about 80 degrees Fahrenheit). This suggests that these frogs are tough and might do better than other species as land changes and temperatures rise.
Strawberry Poison Frogs as Pets
The strawberry poison frog is a popular pet because of its bright colors and interesting life cycle. Many were brought to the United States and Europe in the early 1990s. Back then, they cost about $75 each. However, these shipments stopped, so the frogs became harder to find and less varied in color.
Today, some people who love frogs are successfully breeding them in captivity. This means healthy, captive-bred frogs are now easier to find.
In Europe, there are more different types of O. pumilio frogs. This is partly because of illegal smuggling, and the babies of those smuggled animals. Smuggling dart frogs is a big problem. It harms many animals and often damages their natural homes.
Recently, strawberry poison frogs have started to be exported again from Central America in small numbers from special frog farms. Because of this, there are now many more of them available in the pet community.
Common Color Morphs in Captivity
One common color morph is the "blue jeans" morph. This color pattern is found throughout the frog's natural range. However, it is less common in the pet trade in the United States. Most of these frogs came from imports in the 1990s or are their descendants. As of 2003, this morph could be found across Costa Rica and mainland Panama.
Images for kids
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The la gruta morph from Colón Province, Panama
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See also
In Spanish: Rana flecha roja y azul para niños
