Granular poison frog

Description:

The granular poison frog is a small frog with slender limbs growing to about 20 mm (0.8 in). Its skin is finely granulated and its colour is typically bright orange head, body and upper arms and bluish-green underparts, legs and lower arms. In the vicinity of Quepos, Costa Rica, there is a colour morph in which the orange colour is replaced with olive green. The frog is an aposematic animal, and it uses poison only for self-defense from predators. Its bright colors are used as a warning signal to all possible predators. The male granular poison frog spends the majority of its time and energy defending its calling site. These warning signals are more vocal (acoustic) than visual.

Habitat:

Monteverde's frog pond exhibit. The granular poison frog is native to Costa Rica and Panama. Its range extends from southwestern Costa Rica through the adjacent area of south-western Panama at heights of up to 100 m (328 ft) above sea level. It may also occur in south-eastern Costa Rica. It inhabits the leaf litter of the floor of humid low altitude forests. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical, moist, lowland forests, but it is threatened by habitat loss.