Higher classification Poison dart frog Rank Genus | Family Dendrobatidae Scientific name Oophaga Phylum Chordata Order Frog | |
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Lower classifications Strawberry poison‑dart frog, Granular poison frog | ||
The red frog story frog documentary oophaga pumilio bastimentos island panama
Oophaga is a genus of poison-dart frogs containing nine species, many of which were formerly in the Dendrobates genus. The frogs are distributed in Central and South America, from Nicaragua through the Colombian El Choco to northern Ecuador (at elevations below 1,200 m (3,900 ft)). Their habitats vary with some species being arboreal while other being terrestrial, but the common feature is that their tadpoles are obligate egg feeders.
Contents
- The red frog story frog documentary oophaga pumilio bastimentos island panama
- Oophaga pumilio cauchero eggs
- Etymology
- Reproduction
- Species
- Captivity
- References
Oophaga pumilio cauchero eggs
Etymology
Oophaga, Greek for "egg eater" (oon, phagos), is descriptive of the tadpoles' diet.
Reproduction
While presumably all dendrobatids show parental care, this is unusually advanced in Oophaga: the tadpoles feed exclusively on unfertilized eggs supplied as food by the mother; the father is not involved. Through the eggs, the mother also passes defensive toxins to the tadpoles: Oophaga pumilio tadpoles experimentally fed with eggs from alkaloid-free frogs did not contain alkaloids.
Species
There are nine species in this genus:
Captivity
Oophaga are kept as pets, but they are challenging to breed in captivity. Oophaga pumilio, however, is easier to breed and popular.
