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Once used by Native Americans to poison the tip of their blow darts, the Poison Dart family
is known for the many species of toxic frogs.
From the depths of the wilderness, nestled in the richest of rainforests and tropic environments,
these adorable little croakers lurk, hidden away as the world’s ten most dangerous frogs.
10.
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog At 2 inches or roughly 5 centimeters, the
dyeing poison dart frog is thought to be one of the largest of the Dendrobates and, like
many of its genus, is endemic to regions of South America, including the French Guiana
and Brazil.
Considered highly toxic, the pumiliotoxins secreted by the dyeing dart frog can cause
cramping and pain if handled inappropriately and serve to protect the colorful species
from predators.
Of the many species of poison dart frogs, the dyeing dart frog has been found in a variety
of color morphs, each with a different degree of toxicity.
9.
Golfo Dulce Poison Dart Frog Found mostly in Costa Rica, the Golfo dulce
poison Dart frog, or Phyllobates vittatus, can reach lengths of 1.3 inches or about 3.5
centimeters.
Despite its small size, this tropical amphibian produces a neurotoxic alkaloid through its
skin, which is potent enough to cause paralysis in predators.
What it synthesizes its toxin from is still unknown, though it is known to siphon the
required chemicals from invertebrates that they feed on.
Though mostly black in color, the toxin that coats its flesh causes it to glimmer and serve
as a warning to predators.
Despite its secretion of toxins through its skin, the Golfo Dulce poison dart frog is
a popular pet to breed.
8.
Yellow-banded Poison Dart Frog It’s all fun and games until you happen
across a Dendrobates leucomeias in a lowland or subtropical forest.
The small, striped frog, ranging from one to two inches or about 2.5 to 5 centimeters
in length, is endemic to South America, specifically Guyana and Brazil.
The striped formation on its body protects the frog from predators, serving as a sign
of its toxic skin.
Alternately known as the “bumblebee poison dart frog,” the Yellow-Banded Poison Frog
may not have the stinger of a bee, but simply touching one of these tiny critters can lead
to nerve damage.
The poison secreted from their skin stems from a diet heavy of ants in their region,
which are synthesized to create the chemical toxin.
7.
Splash-Backed Poison Frog Also known as the Zimmermann’s poison frog,
the splash-backed poison frog is found in Peru, specifically in the upper Huallaga River
of the San Martin Region.
Like other amphibians of the Dendrobatidae family, Ranitomeya variabilis secretes a pumiliotoxin
that is lethal in doses as small as 2 milligrams and, in smaller doses, can lead to paralysis.
For humans, even a small amount can lead to illness, though death is unlikely.
The splash-backed poison frog is known for being pudgier, can measure up to .6 inches
or roughly 1.6 centimeters, and is found in a mix of black, yellow, and green coloring.
6.
Strawberry Poison Dart Frog The aptly named Strawberry poison dart frog
is a Central American member of the Dendrobatidae family, making up a colorful member of the
Oophaga genus.
This speckle-backed frog’s brightly colored flesh mimics the look of a strawberry, and
though it may look delicious, it is coated in a poison chemical derived from the amphibian’s
diet of ants and mites, specifically formicine ants.
The pumiliotoxin 251D affects the cardiac function of those that come in contact with
it.
Predators that do ingest the alkaloid toxin can suffer from paralysis, convulsions, and
even death.
5.
Phantasmal Poison Frog Epipedobates tricolor, named for its trio
of colors on its body, is an endangered member of the Dendrobatidae family endemic in Ecuador
in the Bolivar Province.
By ingesting a diet of certain ants and beetles, the Phantasmal poison frog produces and secretes
the alkaloid toxin, epibatidine, which is about 200 times more potent than morphine.
At just under .4 inches or 1 centimeter in size, the phantasmal poison frog is a tiny
amphibian capable of doing quite a bit of damage.
For predators and humans that come into contact with the poison frog’s flesh, death may
not be imminent, but it is a grave possibility.
4.
Blue Poison Dart Frog The brightly colored exterior of the blue
poison dart frog may be appealing to the human eye, but to the predators of the forests of
Brazil, it’s a warning.
Nestled among boulders and amidst the foliage on the forest floor, the blue poison dart
frog has few predators thanks to its diet of poisonous ants and beetles, which it uses
to create a toxic alkaloid that secretes from its skin.
In small doses, the poisonous discharge can lead to paralysis and death.
Specific to the blue poison dart frog is a hunchbacked posture and black spots that are
unique for each adult member of the species.
3.
Kokoe Poison Dart Frog Traverse the tropics of Central and South
America and you may find a small striped amphibian living amongst the brush on the ground.
The kokoe poison frog, or Phyllobates aurotaenia, may look docile, but pick it up and you’ll
find that its glistening skin isn’t because of water.
From its flesh, this species of poison frog secretes a batrachotoxin through glands throughout
its body.
Known for being a steroidal alkaloid, the toxin binds to nerve and muscle cells, causing
paralysis in larger mammals, like humans, in doses as smalls 100 milligrams.
When found in captivity, like other poison dart frogs, the kokoe is nonlethal as its
toxic make-up comes from a diet of indigenous Melyrid beetles and millipedes.
2.
Black-Legged Dart Frog Measuring up to 2-inches or roughly 5-centimeters,
the black-legged dart frog, or Phyllobates bicolor, is among the largest of poison frogs.
Endemic to Colombia, specifically along the San Juan River and lowland forests, this toxic
amphibian typically sports a bright orange body contrasted by dark blue or black legs.
Unlike the many poison dart frogs in this Archive, the black-legged dart frog is said
to have been linked to human deaths, though no reports have been confirmed.
Though known for being toxic, the black-legged dart frog’s poisonous discharge has been
considered for possible medicinal purposes.
1.
Golden Poison Dart Frog The bright golden skin of the golden poison
dart frog may be attractive, but consider it a warning, the golden poison dart frog
is the most poisonous known frog to man.
Indigenous to the coasts of Colombia, this golden variety of poison frog is 20 times
more toxic than other dart frogs and is believed to be able to kill a person with an amount
equal to 2 to 3 grains of salt, and harbors enough poison to kill 10 adult humans.
At 2-inches or roughly 5-centimeters, the golden poison dart frog is among the larger
of the poison dart species and is known to have only one predator – the snake species
Liophis epinephelus, which has built up an immunity to the frog’s toxins.