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Project Noah Nature School
Ranitomeya flavovittata
Another of the diminuitive "poison dart frogs". Deep black dorsal/ventral sports brilliant yellow stripes and spots. Legs have a more grey/silver background for black spots with one yellow spot close on the limbs close to the body. Length 1/2 - 3/4" (1.75 - 2.25 cm).
Rain forest terra firme of upper Amazon (Loreto, Peru). This specimen was close to the Tahuayo River.
Males carry individual tadpoles on their backs to the safety of bromeliads holding water. Then he makes continuous rounds judging when they are hungry by jumping in with each and determining whether it is time to feed by how aggressively the tadpole nibbles on him. If hungry, male leaves and returns with female who he entices to deposit a single infertile egg by singing and dancing around her. This is a high protein diet, but makes tadpoles helpless should either parent meet with mishap.
Spotted on Mar 31, 2012
Submitted on Jun 11, 2012
1 Comment
this could be a good fit to Animals with Warning Colors Mission