Dendrobatidae
Dendrobatidae includes the poison frogs and related species. There are 62 species in
Peru, 7 both in the Madre de Dios department and in the Manu area of which we include
4 species in this guide. It is the sister family to Aromobatidae. Identification can be
difficult in this group as there are several mimic species. The patterns of coloration and
the calls are the best features to identify between species. Poison frogs are generally
small and fast-moving. They are usually very colorful, except the Colostethus species
which are brown and dull.
Dendrobatidae
Poison frogs are diurnal species, but they can be found at night resting on low vegetation.
Most of them are terrestrial, but some are arboreal, such as Ranitomeya species. Many of
them are toxic, and in a few species this venom is even lethal. The patterns of coloration
serve them to warn predators of their toxicity. Some of them have a specialized diet,
mostly feeding on ants, mites and termites, to obtain the chemical compounds that
they need to be toxic. Males are territorial and commonly show parental care towards
their eggs and tadpoles. Males guard the clutch, and later they carry the tadpoles on
their backs to a stream, pond or water-holding epiphytes such as bromeliads.
Ameerega sp1 (shihuemoy) life stages /
Ciclo de vida de Ameeega sp1 (shihuemoy)