It is a beautiful species from Central America, distributed from southeastern Nicaragua to northwestern Colombia. Although most of the species are distributed in wet depressions and tropical rainforests at altitudes of around 0-800 m, some are found in areas up to 1200 m above sea level. One of the most iconic species, the Pacific island of Taboga in the Gulf of Panama, was introduced to hawaii's O'ahu Island in 1932.
Most species of camouflage poison dart frogs are predominantly ground-dwelling, and some species of frogs are sometimes observed transporting tadpoles between tree holes up to 50 meters high. Adult frogs are active during the day or all day. When the dry season in the dry habitat of the Pacific Mountains comes, many species become less active, only staying in the deciduous layer after rain for a while. Both male and female frogs have a strong sense of territory, the female frog tries to monopolize the strong male frog, and the fighting between the competing female frogs is also very fierce. The placement of frog eggs and the development of tadpoles are carried out in the deciduous layer, and the work of rearing offspring is generally done by male frogs, who carry tadpoles to small puddles in different tree holes, large leaves or small puddles of river rocks. Tadpoles feed mainly on arthropod larvae and, if food is scarce, cannibalize between or each other.
Although the species is rated "no danger" by the IUCN, there are several Pacific variants that deserve attention due to their small, dispersed habitat. The risk of extinction is overestimated due to the lack of scientific observations of its blue variant, and in fact the blue mutant population of this species is distributed in more than one area on the Pacific side of Panama. In general, the habitat range of the D.auratus species overlaps a lot with the range of human activities, and its population can be found in secondary vegetation, parks, gardens, farms and even garbage dumps. The large amount of artificial breeding has greatly reduced the demand for wild smuggling.
The Camouflage Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) is a member of the Population of Dyed Poison Arrows Frogs (Dendrobates tinctorius group). However, camouflage poison dart frog and dyed poison dart frog (D. tinctorius) or yellow-banded poison dart frog (D. The offspring of the leucomelas) hybrid are infertile.
This article introduces 13 kinds of camouflage poison dart frogs with different physical characteristics in different habitats, and after each paragraph of text introduction, several corresponding pictures of frogs and pictures of their habitat environment will be posted for your reference. At the same time, in the translation of the names of these varieties, I do not need to use the familiar green camouflage, blue camouflage, brown camouflage, spotted camouflage, etc. to call these varieties, first of all, these names are not accurate and easy to misunderstand, so it is recommended to uniformly use the international common name to distinguish these varieties.
High Stone
It is a highland variety and the largest known species of the species, with adult body lengths ranging from 38 mm to 42 mm. The species inhabits the Caribbean Pacific continental watershed near Santa Fé, Veragua province of Panama, at an altitude of 700–1000 m. The local temperature is very comfortable between 20 °C and 26 °C during the day, and sometimes only 12 °C -15 °C at night. They live in primeval forests along streams, and usually they prefer to stay in the deciduous layer near large trunks. Its body color markings are metallic green or blue-green bands and markings between the black skin, and the abdomen looks closer to light blue. This breed is probably the one most threatened to survive. According to locals, this population was once very dense, but now it is rarely seen. During a local visit in 2009, only one adult male frog and one larvae looking sick were also found. It appears that this population has been significantly reduced in the area due to Chytrid frog infection. The clown dolls that were once common in the local area also seem to be missing. From this point of view, this D. auratus variant is in danger of extinction and should pay special attention to protection. This variety does not appear to have been artificially bred in Europe for the time being.
Taboga
This population can be found on two small islands in panama bay in Panama City (Taboga Island and Tabogulilla Island). It is also one of the smallest varieties, with a maximum body length of 28-30 mm. The body color markings of this species have yellow-green bands, lines, dots, spots, or reticulated lines in the bluish-brown complexion. Juveniles or sub-adults are darker in color and gradually brighten with age. Taboga Island is the native of this variety and is also the most typical and common camouflage variety. In 1932, 203 of the species were introduced to Hawaii as biological weapons to exterminate mosquitoes, and the frogs were subsequently domesticated and bred naturally on hawaii's island of O'ahu, which is now a stable native species.
Caldera
This is a slightly larger breed with adult bodies growing around 33-38 mm and can be found at altitudes of 300-500 m in Caldera, Chiriqui Province, Panama. The species inhabits small patches of wet jungle in very dry areas along the creek, or on the banks of larger rivers. Most individuals exhibit sky blue or turquoise body colors, while pale green individuals are rarely seen. The variety is said to be found also in the David region of Chiriqui Province.
Santa Maria
This varied population of body color spots was found near Santa Fé in Panama's Veraguas province, and the species is between 32-36 mm long. Body color markings consist of a black complexion plus stripes or spots of green or turquoise or blue. In most of the dry Varagus Pacific, these frogs inhabit the wet riverside and the Rio Santa Maria (stream name) area between 50-500 meters above sea level.
San Felix
This species is medium in size, with a body length of between 30-32 mm. It inhabits the coast of Rio San Felix (name of the stream) in the Chiriqui province of Panama. The variety is very similar to the Canal Zone from the Panama Canal Zone, but the background color is a light brown like milk coffee, not dark brown or black. Body color markings consist of greenish-yellow spots or a small number of comma-like lines. The species inhabits a very dry area and can be found in large numbers in wet rocky bottom holes or riverside tree roots when the dry season comes.
Kuna Yala
This is another exotic variety from the Caribbean lowlands of eastern Panama. Its habitat is located between 600-800 meters above sea level in the Serrania de San Blas (mountain name) in the Yaracuna Autonomous Region. It is a small and medium-sized body with a body length of 32-35 mm, and its body color markings appear on a dark brown complexion with unusual white bands, meshes, and even dots. Juveniles present a consistent dark brown body color without markings. The markings become more pronounced as the frog ages, and after a few years, they appear to be distinctly creamy white markings. In the first year of life, the variety is easily confused with the variety from Capira.
Caribbean
This is one of the most widely distributed species of camouflage poison dart frog. It is found along the Caribbean coast in southeastern Nicaragua to the province of Bocas del Toro in western Panama. The morphology of this variety remains highly conservative within its distribution range. Body color markings consist of large spots and stripes on a black complexion with a yellow-green to turquoise color. Green markings account for more than 50% of the overall body color. Its body length is 33-38mm, which is also the largest of its species. Female frogs are slightly larger than male frogs, which usually have wider fingertips. This breed is common in the breeding enthusiast frog tank, so it is recognized as the "most representative frog of camouflage arrow poison frog", and in fact this name actually belongs to the breed from Taboga Island.
Capira
A camouflage arrow species very similar to the Kuna Yala variety was found along the streams in the foothills of the Rio Capira Stream and The Turiste Campana National Park in Panama, although the habitats were 100 km apart. This variety has cream or beige bands or patchy or reticulated markings on the reddish-brown complexion (Kuna Yala dark brown skin tones have white markings). It is 32-35 mm long and is of medium size. The breed is also known as "Campana" or "Kaluah" or "Cream". Unlike Kuna Yala, they are timid and have very little activity during the dry season. Most of this species inhabits large volcanic rocks in streamside woodlands or small jungles between 50-400 m above sea level. At higher elevations in the national park, a smaller species with a dark brown complexion and blue-green lines has been found. The variety extended along the Rio Capira Stream to the lowlands and crossed with the Capira variety. A mixture of two species of striped frogs has been found in this hybrid area, and the frogs caught in the area are called "Camouflage".
Canal Zone
This is also a widely distributed variety. It ranges from the Panama Canal to the Pacific rim almost the Caribbean Sea. Its body color markings are also highly conservative, with only a few very slight changes. On black or dark brown skin tones, there are usually small spots of green or blue-green or few lines. Due to the opening of the Panama Canal in the early 2000s, the species population was artificially isolated in different nearby areas, such as Santa Rita, Parque Nacional Soberania, Ancon Hill or Barro Colorado Island, where the divided population morphology was extremely similar.
Calobre
The variety is a pure blue variety found near a creek in a small village called Calobre, where the habitat is very close to the Santa Maria variety. Due to its small body length of 30-33 mm, this blue variety can be easily distinguished from other blue races. This is one of the smallest species of poison dart frog and is very common in captive farming environments. The species was once thought to be in danger of extinction, but in fact they live in small, dry, open areas along streams, and the population appears to be very stable. Because they are timid by nature and have a habit of hiding, their populations may be underestimated. In our opinion, this species population is fragile, but not yet extinct.
Bronze
The species is found in the Central Cordillera Mountains in Panama's Cocole Province, near the Caribbean. It is also a lowland species, distributed vertically at altitudes of 500 to 700 m above sea level, with temperatures ranging from 25°C to 28°C. Medium body size of 32-35 mm. They are a very popular breed. Adult frogs have a variety of metallic green or turquoise or blue stripes or stripes, with dark brown borders around the stripes, and the stripes have a pale cyan or silvery-white metallic luster. The skin of the juveniles has a black undertone, and the body color of the adults takes 3 years or more to become brighter. Like many other species, this variety is extremely variable in color, with different populations of green, blue and turquoise colors distributed in the same region.
Some of the individual individuals of this breed were first legally imported into Germany from Panama in 1992. Many frogs of this species in Europe are now descendants of this group of frogs. These frogs are called Bronce blue/Bronce green/Microspots/Birkhahn/Wassman Line/Panama Special in Europe according to their body color markings, but in fact these frogs are from the same species.
Pacific
This is another widely distributed, conservative lowland species from the Isthmus of Panama on the Pacific side. The species ranges from the province of Puntarenas in central Costa Rica to the province of Chiriqui in southwestern Panama, at altitudes ranging from 5 to 600 m. The northern and southern boundaries of the species are the dry forests of central Panama and northern Costa Rica, respectively. The northernmost point of the camouflage poison dart frog distribution we found is located in the semi-deciduous forest area of Carara, Costa Rica. The Pacific population of the frog grows at 30–32 mm. Its morphology is black with metallic green or yellow-green stripes and spotted markings. Green markings account for less than 50% of the body color. In contrast, the variety is smaller, less markings, and more yellow-green markings than the Caribe variety. Similarly, the species is also very timid, with little activity during the dry season from January to March.
Capurganá
This is a beautiful small variety from northern Colombia. It is found in the northeastern region of Chocó along the Panamanian border. This Caribbean variety is 27–30 mm long and the body color markings consist of large yellow-green drop-on spots (less banded). We have found their populations near a village in Capurganá, where frogs inhabit the hills surrounding Capurganá, covered with pristine rainforests and subdepensive rainforests. Many of their habitats are located just 5-10 meters off the Caribbean coast. Its population density is very high, we can find more than 10 individuals in a place of 10 square meters. Their personalities are bold and lively, and their habits are very active.