iHerp Australia Issue 12 | Page 45

under her ‘armpits’ and then fertil- ises the eggs externally as they are released. In contrast, most species of Colestethus and Phyllobates exhibit ‘cephalic amplexus’, where the female is grasped in front of her forelegs. Some Phyllobates and all Dendrobates species have dispensed with amplexus completely, and instead the couples perform a complex and species-specific repertoire of behaviours, with the finale being the discharge of the male’s sperm, which may occur before or after the eggs are laid. Many species of dendrobatids, including P. terribilis, are highly threatened, facing pressures from anthropogenic factors including climate change, as well as being susceptible to the chytrid fungus. Much of the area occupied by these frogs is under threat from agricul- tural expansion. Their habitat is being lost at alarming rates due to illegal crops, logging, mining and livestock agriculture - the latter being the main cause of deforestation globally. Their habitat is also threatened by pollution, including contamination by pesticides used on crops (both those intended for human consumption, and those for live- stock), and they are under pressure from collection for the pet trade, despite being bred commercially in captivity. Further Reading. Maan, M. & Cummings, M. 2012, Poison Frog Colors Are Honest Signals of Toxicity, Particularly for Bird Predators, Am. Nat., 179: E1-E14. Weygoldt, P. 1987, Evolution of parental care in dart poison frogs (Amphibia: Anura: Den- drobatidae), Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 25(1): 51-67. hy are Poison Dart Frogs so popular with hobbyists overseas? Dendrobatids are completely harmless in captivity. Even wild-caught specimens will soon lose the ability to create secrete toxins on a captive diet. They are diurnal, and active during the day. They don’t have loud calls, and don’t call at night. Due to their small size, they require only a modest terrarium, and have very little impact on plants and furnishings. Many species are easy to breed, and babies can be raised within the adults’ enclosure. Most poison dart frogs now sold in the pet trade have been bred in captivity. Maintenance is minimal, and frog faeces is easily decomposed in a bio-active enclosure. Poison dart frogs are hardy and long-lived in captivity. Best of all, they look....AMAZING! Myers, C. W., Daly, J. W. & Malkin, B. 1978, A dangerously toxic new frog (Phyllobates) used by Emberá Indians of western Colombia, with discussion of blowgun fabrication and dart poisoning, Bulletin of the AMNH; v. 161, article 2. Ringler, E., Beck, K. B., Weinlein, S., Huber, L. & Ringler, M. 2017, Adopt, ignore, or kill? Male poison frogs adjust parental decisions according to their territorial status, Scientific Reports, 7:43544. Santos, J. C. & Cannatella, D. C. 2011, Phe- notypic integration emerges from aposema- tism and scale in poison frogs, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A, Apr 12; 108(15): 6175– 6180. Right: Blue Dyeing Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius). Image by Aleksey Stemmer.