Yellow-banded-poison-dart frog-Dendrobates-leucomelas.tiff
Yellow-banded poison dart frog, Dendrobates leucomelas, South America.
This amphibian is normally found in very humid conditions in tropical rain forests, close to fresh water. It is often found on flat rocks, trees, plants (notably, bromeliads) and the leaf litter of the forest floor. During the dry season, specimens are known to congregate in damper places such as under rocks or fallen tree trunks. These beautiful colors are warnings to potential predators that the frogs are poisonous. Other species, such as monarch butterflies, sport bright colors to advertise their toxicity. Several species of non-poisonous frogs evolved with similar coloring to avoid being eaten. Some scientists think that the reticulated pattern of the frogs also acts as camouflage among the forest shadows.
Three very toxic species of poison dart frogs from Colombia and South America are utilized by Indians to poison the tips of blowgun darts. Image by Andres Morya
