Yellow-bellied poison frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow-bellied poison frog |
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Dendrobates fulguritus Silverstone, 1975 |
Meet the yellow-bellied poison frog! This amazing little frog is also known as the yellow-bellied poison-arrow frog or yellowbelly poison frog. Its scientific name is Andinobates fulguritus. It belongs to the frog family called Dendrobatidae. You can find this frog living in the wild in parts of northwestern Colombia and east-central Panama.
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What Does It Look Like?
The yellow-bellied poison frog is quite small. Male frogs are about 13.5 to 15 millimeters long. Females are a little bigger, measuring 14 to 16.5 millimeters. This length is measured from their snout (nose) to their vent (bottom).
Colors and Patterns
The frog's back, called the dorsum, is black. It has bright stripes of gold, yellow, or yellow-green. These stripes run along its sides. Some stripes also go along the upper part of its back. There's also a short stripe in the middle of its upper back.
The frog's belly, called the venter, is gold or yellow. It has black patterns that look like swirls or spots. The skin on its back feels a little bumpy. The skin on its belly feels even more bumpy.
Other Features
The frog has a round eardrum, called a tympanum. Part of it is hidden behind its head. Its eyes have black irises. The iris is the colored part of the eye. This frog does not have any extra skin or webbing between its fingers or toes.
Where Does It Live?
The yellow-bellied poison frog lives in tropical forests. These forests are warm and wet. They are found in low-lying areas. In Colombia, these frogs live at heights from about 160 to 900 meters above sea level. In Panama, they might live even higher up. This frog is a common animal in its local areas. It lives on the ground in the forest.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
These frogs lay their eggs on the ground. They often choose places like fallen leaves. After the eggs hatch, tiny tadpoles emerge. Both the mother and father frog help carry the tadpoles. They move them to special plants called bromeliads. Bromeliads are plants that grow on trees. Their leaves form little cups that collect water. The tadpoles finish growing in these small pools of water.
Protecting the Yellow-Bellied Poison Frog
This frog faces some threats in its natural home. One big problem is habitat loss. This happens when forests are cut down, which is called deforestation. Pollution also harms their environment. Luckily, people do not seem to collect this frog for the pet trade. This helps keep their numbers stable.
