CENTRAL / SOUTH AMERICAN POISONOUS FROGS

Dendrobates azureus

Family: Dendrobatidae Genus: Dendrobates Species: azureus Common Names Blue Poison-Arrow Frog , Blue Poison Frog , Giant Poison Frog Countries Suriname
	Species Distribution Map	Photo copyright Shin Sugiyama

Taxonomy and Biology

Adult length: 38mm

Description

Dorsal surface body and head colour and flank colour is bright blue ( occasionally purple ) with variably sized, irregular, black spotting. The black spots are typically largest vertebrally and decrease in size laterally ( although small black dotting may be additionally present dorsally ). Arms and legs are a darker or deeper bright blue or bluish black, usually with less frequent and smaller black spots than present on the upper body and flanks. Head venter and ventral surface colour is pale blue ( sometimes a whitish head venter and occasionally pale purplish in purple specimens ) with variable, round, black spots and sometimes a darker mid-ventral stripe or zone is present.

Habitat

Warm, humid, relict ( mainly small island ) lowland forest with rocky freshwater streams in drier “savannah” region of Southern Suriname

Habits

Mainly diurnal and terrestrial although this species has been found up to about 5 metres in trees Usually found under rocks and leaf litter ( especially mossy micro habitats ) near streams.

Prey

Feeds mainly on ants and termites.

Poison Activity

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