Dendrobates auratus 

(Green and black poison dart frog)

 Dendrobates auratus : Photo by Claudio Mejía

Habitat: These frogs inhabit the floor of humid forests, and are also found in epyphite bromeliads at heights of 3-25 meters above the ground.

Feeding: They feed on ants and other small insects. (Savage, 2002)

Molecular data: This species contains toxins similar to those of the Dendrobates pumilio (pumiliotoxins B,C, that is a very potent neurotoxin that causes muscular contractions) and other alkaloides that work as a defense against predators.

Behavior: They are diurnal and territorial. They have a peak of activity in the beginning of the afternoon (13:45 pm.) in the northeastern part of the country (Caribbean slope).

Distribution in Costa Rica: They live in the humid lowlands of the Caribbean slope, and in the center and south of the Pacific slope, between 2 and 600 meters of elevation. (Savage 2002)

Distribution outside of Costa Rica: They are found from the south of Nicaragua to the gulf of Urabá, Colombia, on the Caribbean slope, and from Costa Rica through Panama, to the interior part of the Atrato River drainage basin.

These frogs were introduced to the Oahu Islands, Hawaii, USA.

This information was used and translated with permission from INBio ( www.inbio.ac.cr ) Exact link: http://darnis.inbio.ac.cr/ubis/FMPro?-DB=UBIPUB.fp3&-lay=WebAll&-error=norec.html&-Format=detail.html&-Op=eq&id=4396&-Find