Yellow-banded poison dart frog, Bumblebee poison dart frog

Language English

Onglets

Description

Distinguishing features

Yellow-banded poison dart frogs have flattened heads, pointed snouts and black eyes. The tympans (small circles behind the eyes) are barely visible. Their black bodies and legs are marked with three yellow or orange bands. They have a yellow triangle on top of their heads. The toes are tipped with small suction pads that allow them to hold onto rocks, branches and leaves. Females are slightly larger and rounder than males. Some individuals have yellow spots instead of bands, and others have greenish bands.

Reproduction

Mating season extends from February through March. Early in the period, males vocalize to draw females' attention and show off their bright colours to attract them. After mating, a female lays 2 to 12 eggs, several times. She may release up to 1,000 eggs a year in this way. When the eggs hatch, the tadpoles climb onto the male's back, hanging on with their teeth. He carries them to a safe spot, usually inside a bromeliad plant. These plants live on tree trunks and their leaves form a sort of cup that holds water. After 70 to 90 days in this tiny pool, the tadpoles metamorphose into frogs, but do not fully mature for two years. In this species, the males tend the young, protecting them and keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Diet

In the wild, yellow-banded poison dart frogs spend most of their time hunting for prey. They eat ants, termites, small beetles, locusts and spiders. The tadpoles are sometimes cannibalistic. For instance, when living in the water inside a bromeliad, they sometimes eat any tadpole accidentally left there by a male.

Predators

Yellow-banded poison dart frogs are rarely eaten by predators because they are toxic. These small frogs feed on certain ants which themselves eat toxic plants. The poison thus passes from the plant to the ant, then to the frog, and is excreted onto the frog's skin, somewhat like perspiration. Researchers believe that some snakes can probably eat these frogs without being affected by their poison. The tadpoles are eaten by dragonflies.

Habitat

Yellow-banded poison dart frogs live in tropical rainforests in northeastern South America. They are found in Venezuela, Guyana, northern Brazil and southeastern Colombia. They prefer moist forest habitats. They can be spotted on the ground, and on large rocks, large tree trunks and aerial roots. The tadpoles can be found in hollows of leaves of plants that grow on trees, bromeliads in particular. Yellow-banded frogs frequent lowlands with fairly constant temperatures, between 26 and 30°C. They are observed at altitudes of up to 800 m.

Ecology, behaviour

Yellow-banded poison dart frogs are toxic. Just touching one can be poisonous and even paralyzing. Natives in the Amazon used to dip their arrowtips in their toxin for hunting food with blowguns. Yellow-banded frogs play a very important ecological role by controlling populations of small insects. Males are territorial and fight amongst themselves for the best sites. During mating season, females also fight over a male. These frogs are able to withstand severe droughts and can even estivate. Estivation is similar to hibernation, but occurs in summer. The animal \goes to sleep\ when it gets too hot, and its pulse slows. These frogs may be very tiny, but they can leap up to 20 cm. Logging poses a threat to yellow-banded populations in some regions.

French name

Dendrobate jaune et noir, Rainette jaguar

Scientific name

Dendrobates leucomelas

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Amphibia (Batracia)

Order

Anura

Family

Dendrobatidae

Size

Length: 3.1 to 5 cm

Weight

3 g

Life span

In the wild: 5 to 7 years In captivity: 10 to 15 years Record: 20.5 years

Status

Least concern

Menu header en

Languages

Space for life

About Us

Menu header Billetterie en

Global menu

Espace pour la vie App

Explore the splendours of the sky

Monthly Sky

Espace pour la vie Foundation

Espace pour la vie Foundation

Subscribe to the Naturally curious newsletter

School newsletter

Our institutions’ expertise

Research and conservation at Espace pour la vie