Painted Antnest Frog

About the Painted Antnest Frog

Lithodytes is a genus of frogs in the family of Leptodactylidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species, Lithodytes lineatus, also commonly known as the gold-striped frog or painted antnest frog. It is found in tropical South America where it lives in humid forests among the leaf litter. These frogs build foam nests at the edge of temporary pools, and the tadpoles develop within these. The frogs also associate with certain leafcutter ants (Atta cephalotes) and breed inside their nests without being attacked by the ants.

The female Lithodytes lineatus grows to a length ranging from 38 and 52 mm (1.5 and 2.0 in), and the male is slightly smaller. It has a slender body and blunt snout. The overall color is black apart from a pair of yellow lateral stripes running from the snout to the groin, where there is a red or orange patch. The limbs are brown banded with black.

This frog is similar in appearance to the brilliant-thighed poison frog (Allobates femoralis), Ameerega hahneli, and the Amazonian poison-dart frog Ameerega picta. By mimicking the appearance of the toxic species, Lithodytes lineatus avoids detection by predators.

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