Poison Arrow Frog
by Dayonna
Colors of the Rainbow
I bet you didn't know that some poison arrow frogs come in different patterns and colors, it’s actually really cool! They can come in yellow, copper, gold, red, blue, green, strawberry, or black. Or sometimes combined! Just imagine a neon colored frog that’s dangerously toxic!
Another characteristic is that they are toxic (poisonous). For example, they are brightly colored toxic amphibians (cold blooded animals like frogs and toads) that warn predators, or an animal that eats another animal, to tell them they are harmful to eat. So be careful because they’re toxic! Can you imagine a poison colored rainbow frog jumping at you?! They also have sticky pads so they won’t slip off the slippery leaf.
Haven’t you wondered how they got their names? Can you guess? I think not. Colombian Indians (people who live in the rainforest) have used the frog's poison to help kill animals when hunting. I bet you didn’t think of that! But poison arrow frogs can also be called poison dart frogs. Can you believe it? They must be so popular where they live!
Where Do They Live?
Poison arrow frogs live in tropical rainforests (hot areas). In the rainforest it rains a lot. There are also a whole bunch of plants and big huge trees. On the tropical rainforest forest floor it is damp and wet and covered in leaves. Poison arrow frogs like it really damp (wet) because it’s really comfortable to them on the rainforest floor. Isn’t that gross?! Well not to them!
They also like to live in Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Brazil, and Surinam, which are all in Central and South America. That sounds like a lot of beautiful places to live!
by Dayonna
Colors of the Rainbow
I bet you didn't know that some poison arrow frogs come in different patterns and colors, it’s actually really cool! They can come in yellow, copper, gold, red, blue, green, strawberry, or black. Or sometimes combined! Just imagine a neon colored frog that’s dangerously toxic!
Another characteristic is that they are toxic (poisonous). For example, they are brightly colored toxic amphibians (cold blooded animals like frogs and toads) that warn predators, or an animal that eats another animal, to tell them they are harmful to eat. So be careful because they’re toxic! Can you imagine a poison colored rainbow frog jumping at you?! They also have sticky pads so they won’t slip off the slippery leaf.
Haven’t you wondered how they got their names? Can you guess? I think not. Colombian Indians (people who live in the rainforest) have used the frog's poison to help kill animals when hunting. I bet you didn’t think of that! But poison arrow frogs can also be called poison dart frogs. Can you believe it? They must be so popular where they live!
Where Do They Live?
Poison arrow frogs live in tropical rainforests (hot areas). In the rainforest it rains a lot. There are also a whole bunch of plants and big huge trees. On the tropical rainforest forest floor it is damp and wet and covered in leaves. Poison arrow frogs like it really damp (wet) because it’s really comfortable to them on the rainforest floor. Isn’t that gross?! Well not to them!
They also like to live in Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Brazil, and Surinam, which are all in Central and South America. That sounds like a lot of beautiful places to live!
That’s the Circle of Life
Haven’t you wondered how many eggs a female poison arrow frog can lay? It’s not that much really, it’s about 6 to 10 eggs. First, a male will chirp and trill, or make noises, while he’s showing off his bright colors, and if he does this well he will attract a female. Second, the female will lay eggs in water or on a leaf. (Can you imagine a female laying eggs that look like eyeballs? Gross I know!) Then the male will transport them to a bromeliad (a flower with all small living things in it). After 3 to 4 weeks they will hatch. Then they will hatch into a tadpole, which looks like a small dot with a tail. Now it will be ready to metamorphose! Metamorphose means to change. Then the front legs to start to grow. After that the tail will get smaller. And then it's an adult frog! That’s the circle of life!
What They Eat and What Eats Them
Can you believe that poison arrow frogs are insectivores (animals that eat insects)? They like to eat ants and other insects. I think that’s kind of gross! Can you imagine a frog sticking out its projectile tongue (big long sticky tongue) to catch an insect!
On the other hand, its predator is the Leimadophis epinephelus, a species of venomous snake. Venomous is another word for poisonous. But if some other animal tries to eat the poison arrow frog, they will die!
So watch out!
100 Species
Did you know that there are more than 100 species (a similar kind of animal but different names)? Wow isn’t that a lot! They’re also in trouble. The golden poison arrow frogs are losing their habitat (a place where an animal lives). Sad I know. They're also really small! They can only grow about one to two inches (2.5 to 5 cm) long! That is a really small amphibian! So if you see one, try not to step on them!
Haven’t you wondered how many eggs a female poison arrow frog can lay? It’s not that much really, it’s about 6 to 10 eggs. First, a male will chirp and trill, or make noises, while he’s showing off his bright colors, and if he does this well he will attract a female. Second, the female will lay eggs in water or on a leaf. (Can you imagine a female laying eggs that look like eyeballs? Gross I know!) Then the male will transport them to a bromeliad (a flower with all small living things in it). After 3 to 4 weeks they will hatch. Then they will hatch into a tadpole, which looks like a small dot with a tail. Now it will be ready to metamorphose! Metamorphose means to change. Then the front legs to start to grow. After that the tail will get smaller. And then it's an adult frog! That’s the circle of life!
What They Eat and What Eats Them
Can you believe that poison arrow frogs are insectivores (animals that eat insects)? They like to eat ants and other insects. I think that’s kind of gross! Can you imagine a frog sticking out its projectile tongue (big long sticky tongue) to catch an insect!
On the other hand, its predator is the Leimadophis epinephelus, a species of venomous snake. Venomous is another word for poisonous. But if some other animal tries to eat the poison arrow frog, they will die!
So watch out!
100 Species
Did you know that there are more than 100 species (a similar kind of animal but different names)? Wow isn’t that a lot! They’re also in trouble. The golden poison arrow frogs are losing their habitat (a place where an animal lives). Sad I know. They're also really small! They can only grow about one to two inches (2.5 to 5 cm) long! That is a really small amphibian! So if you see one, try not to step on them!