Black-legged poison dart frog
Conservation Messaging Opportunities
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Physical features
Black-legged Poison Frogs are small amphibians about 2 inches long; they are golden-yellow in color with black specks on their undersides and limbs, which sometimes creep up onto the face.
Black-legged poison frogs have adhesive discs on their toes that enable them to climb well on plants.
Black-legged poison frogs are sexually dimorphic, with females being slightly larger and rounder than males.
Black-legged poison frogs are incredibly poisonous. The poison secreted by a black-legged poison frog is so toxic that around 150 micrograms of it is thought to be lethal to humans. This species and its close relative the golden poison frog (P. terribilis) are considered among the world's most toxic land animals.
Range and Habitat
Range – Western slopes of the Cordillera Occidental in Colombia
Habitat – Humid lowland and mountain forests, often near streams
Diet: Insectivore
Wild – Small insects and other invertebrates
Zoo – Crickets, fruit flies, and spring tails
Lifespan
Wild – estimated 6-8 years
Zoo – 8 - 15 years, with some reports of up to 20 years
Reproduction
Males will attempt to attract mates by calling out to them with a loud trilling sound.
Eggs are fertilized by the male after they have been laid by the female. Eggs are laid on the forest floor among leaf litter and attended by at least one of the adults, who may even urinate on the eggs to ensure they stay moist.
After hatching, the male or female will carry the tadpoles to water where they will be deposited and left to develop on their own.
Poison frog tadpoles have special “glue” glands that help them hold onto their parents’ backs while they are carried to a water source. The "glue" is water soluble, so once the adults enter the water, the glue dissolves and the tadpoles swim away.
Conservation: Near Threatened
Major Threats: Deforestation because of agricultural development, the planting of illegal crops, logging and human settlement. Additional major threats are pollution resulting from the spraying of illegal crops and the introduction of alien predatory fish.
Lesser Threats: This species was once illegally harvested in large numbers for the live animal trade. However, nearly all specimens in captivity were produced in captive conditions and it is illegal to collect this species from the wild.
Recommended conservation efforts include research into management practices that could allow for a commercial, sustainable harvest of the species. There is currently (2024) one legal frog breeding operation in Colombia undertaking this task.
Interpretive Information
Tadpoles are mainly herbivorous and graze on algae, but will also feed on other detritus, including dead animals.
The black-legged poison frog is one of the most toxic land animals in the world.
When excited, many species of poison frogs will vibrate their toes. The reason for this is unknown.
Poison frogs gain their toxicity from their diet. Wild frogs eat arthropods that contain toxic alkaloids that the frogs can hold onto and secrete through their skin. In human care, they are offered a different diet, so the frogs do not produce toxins.
The bright coloration of these frogs is thought to be a warning to potential predators of their highly toxic nature, a phenomenon known as aposematism.
References
Wilmar Bolívar, Stefan Lötters 2004. Phyllobates bicolor. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 12 September 2014.
Olson, E. 2001. "Phyllobates bicolor" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed September 12, 2014 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Phyllobates_bicolor/
Black-Legged Poison Frog, Lowry Park Zoo. Accessed September 14, 2014 at http://www.lowryparkzoo.com/bio_florida_black-leggedpoisonfrog.php
Summers, Kyle, and Mark E. Clough. "The evolution of coloration and toxicity in the poison frog family (Dendrobatidae)." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 98.11 (2001): 6227-6232.
Darst, Catherine R., et al. "Evolution of dietary specialization and chemical defense in poison frogs (Dendrobatidae): a comparative analysis." The American Naturalist 165.1 (2005): 56-69.
Updated April 2024