Amazon Dart Frog

About the Amazon Dart Frog

Ranitomeya amazonica is a poison dart frog in the genus Ranitomeya. It was first described by Rainer Schulte in 1999 as Dendrobates amazonicus when he separated it from Dendrobates ventrimaculatus, primarily on the basis of call characteristics. The validity of the species has been debated, but further studies, also including genetic data, support its validity.

This species has only been confirmed to reside in northeastern Peru within the Amazon Basin. It is diurnal and lives in primary forest and older secondary forest. Most of its habitats are pristine, but it has shown some tolerance to disturbance. It has been observed between 0 and 200 meters above sea level.

It is listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List based on the assessment from 2023. What threat it faces comes from habitat loss associated with agriculture and cattle cultivation. An assessment of fifteen frogs in French Guiana showed that about 13 percent were infected with the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which causes chytridiomycosis.

This frog has been seen on the international pet trade, but because it is also raised in captivity, it is... Wikipedia →