About Frog

The Strawberry Dart Frog

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Dendrobatidae
Genus:	Oophaga
Species:	O. pumilio

The strawberry poison frog or strawberry poison-dart frog (Oophaga pumilio or Dendrobates pumilio) is a species of small amphibian poison dart frog found in Central America. It is common throughout its range, which extends from eastern central Nicaragua through Costa Rica and northwestern Panama. The species is often found in humid lowlands and premontane forest, but large populations are also found in disturbed areas such as plantations. The strawberry poison frog is perhaps most famous for its widespread variation in coloration, comprising approximately 15–30 color morphs, most of which are presumed to be true-breeding. O. pumilio, while not the most poisonous of the dendrobatids, is the most toxic member of its genus.

Food

O. pumilio has a specialized diet of small arthropods, primarily formicine ants and true bugs. The frogs, like most poison dart frogs, are harmless when not fed ants or beetles, resulting in pumilio becoming a rather popular exotic pet. 

Behaviour

Oophaga pumilio is diurnal and primarily terrestrial, and can often be found in leaf litter in both forested and disturbed areas. Though brightly colored and toxic, these frogs are relatively small, growing to approximately 17.5–22 mm in standard length. Males are extremely territorial, guarding small territories; females and juveniles are far more sociable. 

 Reproduction

Only about one inch long, the strawberry poison dart frog is a small frog with a plump body and thin limbs. In its common form, the head and body are brilliant strawberry-red or orange-red with blue or black lower parts. The bright coloration is a warning to predators that the animal is toxic. Found mostly in Central America and Puerto Rico, the frog prefers lowland rain forests.  In parts of Puerto Rico during the wet months, densities can reach almost 400 frogs per acre, the forest resounding with the loud chirping trills that males make all year round.

Males are territorial and when provoked will jump on top of an interloping male, wrestling for up to 20 minutes. While wrestling, both frogs stand on their hind legs and try to push one another to the ground with their front legs. Once one is pinned, the victor, usually the inhabitant of the territory, allows the other to leave.

Strawberry poison dart frogs mate any time of the year, the female laying up to five eggs. Once the eggs are fertilized, the male and female return to the clutch every day, the male moistening the eggs by emptying his bladder over them. After about a week, the eggs hatch, and the mother ferries them on her back to the vases of bromeliad plants, depositing one tadpole per plant.  She returns to each tadpole almost every day and lays up to five unfertilized eggs for it to eat. After 43-52 days the tadpole undergoes metamorphosis.\

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_poison-dart_frog

http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/specialfeatures/animals/amphibians/strawberry-poison- dart-frog.xml