Imitator Poison-dart Frog

Imitator Poison-dart Frog
Dendrobates imitator
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Suborder: Neobatrachia
Family: Dendrobatidae
Genus: Ranitomeya
Species: R. imitator
Binomial name
Ranitomeya imitator
(Schulte, 1986)
Synonyms

Ranitomeya imitator Frost, et al; 2006
Common names: Mimic poison frog[1], imitator poison dart frog[citation needed]

Ranitomeya imitator (formerly Dendrobates imitator) is a type of poison dart frog found in the north-central region of eastern Peru.

Contents

Reproduction and parental care

Ranitomeya imitator and related frogs exhibit a degree of parental care, with the female laying feeder eggs for the tadpoles to eat. However, unlike the Strawberry Poison-dart Frog and related species, this behavior is not required and tadpoles can survive on invertebrates, algae, and detritus.

This frog is the first amphibian species in which the sexual partners have been shown to be monogamous.[2]

Subspecies

There are no subspecies of R. imitator recognized. Instead, across Peru there are several races (or morphs) of the species, which differ by imitating the appearance of another small dart frog species in each race's locale.[3] This is an example of Müllerian mimicry. In the dart frog hobby, some hobbyists have erroneously attributed subspecies status to one or more of these races. These hobbyist-assigned names are not scientifically valid.

Captive care

See also: History of dendrobatid frogkeeping

The Imitator Poison-dart Frog is generally considered to be one of the easier thumbnail group frogs to care for.

References

  1. ^ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100311192933.htm
  2. ^ Brown, Jason L.; Morales, Victor; Summers, Kyle (2010). "A Key Ecological Trait Drove the Evolution of Biparental Care and Monogamy in an Amphibian". The American Naturalist 175 (4): 436–46. doi:10.1086/650727. PMID 20180700. 
  3. ^ Clare, John P. (2010-05-21). "Imitating Dart Frog - Ranitomeya imitator - Care and Breeding". FrogForum.net. http://www.frogforum.net/dart-frog-mantella-care/2753-imitating-dart-frog-ranitomeya-imitator-dendrobates-imitator-schulte-1986-care-breeding.html. Retrieved 2010-08-09. 

External links

  • Imitating Dart Frog - Ranitomeya imitator - Care and Breeding - Detailed natural history information, race/morph details with photographs, captive care, and breeding.
  • Dendroboard - Your source for dart frog, and naturalistic vivaria information. An open and free community dedicated to the care of these wonderful animals.
  • Dart Den - Poison dart frog resource and forums.
  • Frognet - Dart frog resources for hobbyists, in operation since 1996.
Stub icon This poison dart frog article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.