''Adelphobates'' is a small genus of

poison dart frog Poison dart frog (also known as dart-poison frog, poison frog or formerly known as poison arrow frog) is the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to tropical Central and South America. These species are ...

s. They are found in the central and lower

Amazon basin The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries of Bolivi ...

of Peru and Brazil, possibly Bolivia. It was originally erected as a

sister group In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and t ...

to the ''

Dendrobates ''Dendrobates'' is a genus of poison dart frogs native to Central and South America. It once contained numerous species, but most originally placed in this genus have been split off into other genera such as ''Adelphobates'', '' Ameerega'', '' A ...

'' and ''

Oophaga ''Oophaga'' is a genus of poison-dart frogs containing twelve species, many of which were formerly placed in the genus ''Dendrobates''. The frogs are distributed in Central and South America, from Nicaragua through the Colombian El Choco to nor ...

'' genera. The validity of the genus is still being discussed, with the alternative being "''Dendrobates galactonotus'' group" within ''

''. One species originally placed in this genus as '' Adelphobates captivus'' has since been moved to the genus ''

Excidobates ''Excidobates'' is a genus of poison dart frogs endemic to the Marañón River drainage in Peru and Ecuador, South America. At one time members of this genus were classified as ''Dendrobates ''Dendrobates'' is a genus of poison dart frogs n ...

'' erected in 2008.

Etymology

''Adelphobates'' is from the Ancient Greek, ''adelphos'' (brother or twin) and ''bates'' (walker or climber)."Brothers" refers to Charles W. Myers and

John W. Daly John William Daly (June 8, 1933 – March 5, 2008) was an American biochemist who performed research for nearly 50 years at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. A primary focus of his research included the discovery, structure ...

, two unrelated scientists directly involved with studies of the species.

Biology

All members have conspicuous, vibrant coloration, and smooth skin. A peculiar feature of their reproduction is that

tadpole A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found i ...

s are transported to

Brazil nut The Brazil nut (''Bertholletia excelsa'') is a South American tree in the family Lecythidaceae, and it is also the name of the tree's commercially harvested edible seeds. It is one of the largest and longest-lived trees in the Amazon rainforest. ...

capsules lying on the forest floor. Cannibalism may result if more than one tadpole ends up in the same capsule.

Poison

All poison frogs are toxic and noxious. Like frogs of the genus Dendrobates, Adelphobates contain Pumiliotoxin 251D, which is hydroxylated to Allopumiliotoxin 267A, which is 5 times more toxic. The median lethal dose is 200 µg/kg and 40 µg/kg respectively.

Species

There are three species:

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q138042 Poison dart frogs Amphibians of South America Amphibian genera