CENTRAL / SOUTH AMERICAN POISONOUS FROGS

Dendrobates minutus

Family: Dendrobatidae Genus: Dendrobates Species: minutus Common Names Blue-Bellied Poison-Arrow Frog , Blue-Bellied Poison Frog , Bluebelly Poison Frog Countries Panama, Colombia
	Species Distribution Map	Photo copyright Chris van der Lingen

Taxonomy and Biology

Adult length: 12mm

Description

Colour is often dull in appearance. Head dorsum and dorsal surface body colour is dark brown to blackish brown ( sometimes with an orange tint ) and bordered by yellow to orange dorsolateral stripes that commence on the snout tip, pass over the eyes and extend the length of the body. Flanks are blackish brown to black bordered below by a white to yellowish or bluish, complete or incomplete, lower lateral stripe. Arms and legs are brown , usually paler than dorsum colour with or without some scattered, small bluish spots. Head venter and ventral surface colour is often dull brown to blackish with some scattered, small, often inconspicuous, bluish spots or marbling.

Habitat

Humid tropical forest at elevations up to about 1100 metres.

Habits

Diurnal and terrestrial frog.

Prey

Feeds mainly on mosquitoes and other small insects.

Poison Activity

Poison Type: Pumiliotoxins, Decahydroquinolines, Pyrrolizidines, Indolizidines, Quinolizidines