The marbled poison frog or marbled poison-arrow frog (''Epipedobates boulengeri'') is a species of
frog
A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...
in the family
Dendrobatidae
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 (biology), family Dendrobatidae which are native to tropical Central America, Central an ...
found in western
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
(
Cauca,
Nariño,
Valle del Cauca Departments, including
Gorgona Island) and northwestern
Ecuador
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
, at elevations of
asl. It likely represents a species complex of at least two species.
Description
Males measure and females in snout–vent length. Colouration is variable;
dorsum is dark reddish to uniform dark brown, sides are black. There is a pale yellowish or creamy white lateral line and cream-coloured dorsolateral line.
Iris is dark coppery black.
Diet
Diet is varied and includes mites, ants, coleopterans, dipterans, homopterans, and colembolas.[
]
Habitat and conservation
Its natural habitat
In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...
s are dense moist tropical rainforests as well as altered habitats like gardens and railway tunnels.
Threats
The IUCN classifies this frog as least concern of extinction. Scientists note that it is tolerant to habitat disturbance. What threat it faces comes from habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...
from deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. Ab ...
associated with agriculture, including illegal agriculture, and logging. The introduction of invasive fish also poses some threat. Scientists noted the presence of the fungus '' Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis'' on this frog but they did not note any specimens who were sick with the corresponding fungal disease chytridiomycosis
Chytridiomycosis ( ) is an infectious disease in amphibians, caused by the chytrid fungi '' Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis'' and '' Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans''. Chytridiomycosis has been linked to dramatic population declines or extinc ...
, which kills frogs. This animal shows some presence on the international pet trade, but scientists do not know if this is a danger to the frog or not.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1346446
Epipedobates
Amphibians of Colombia
Amphibians of Ecuador
Amphibians described in 1909
Taxa named by Thomas Barbour
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot