Yellow-banded poison dart frog

Yellow-Banded Poison Frog ( Dendrobates leucomelas )

The Gelbgebänderte poison dart ( Dendrobates leucomelas ) is a species in the genus poison dart ( Dendrobates ) and belongs to the family of the poison dart frog ( Dendrobatidae ).

His home is the tropical rain forests in Venezuela, Colombia, and Guyana. The diurnal frog is between three and four inches tall, with males remain quite small. He has a yellow and black color. Instead of the yellow horizontal stripes, which are equipped with irregular black spots, there are also orange and green color variations.

Reproduction

After laying their eggs on land, about eight eggs are fertilized by the male. After hatching after 15-18 days the larvae are carried by the male to the water. The metamorphosis of the tadpole to frog is complete after 65 to 75 days.

Poison

The highly toxic secretion that singles the frog with special skin glands, defends the one hand fungi and bacteria that would otherwise attach themselves to the sensitive frog skin (see also: chytrid fungus ). On the other hand the poison protects the frog from predators. Its bright color she warns. The skin secretion was used by Indians as an arrow poison when hunting wild animals. Therefore, these and other representatives of the poison dart frogs are also called poison dart frogs.

Attitude in the terrarium

The Gelbgebänderte Baumsteiger is in addition to other poison dart frog species a popular terrarium. Being held this Baumsteiger mostly. Terrariums into cubes with an edge length of 50 cm However, this is the minimum size of a couple. These terrariums are established after the submission of the tropical rain forest with leaf litter, roots and the lush planting of bromeliads, mosses, ferns and vines. The side walls are often covered with inner xaxim, as it planted itself. The required humidity of about 80 % is achieved through automated rain nozzles or by daily spraying with a hand pump. The time required for the animals and plants from fluorescent lighting usually provides a sufficient heating of the pool of 25-30 ° C.

Breeding is difficult because the offspring often suffer from so-called " Streichholzbeinchen ". It is usually underdeveloped forelegs. The cause for this underdevelopment, the sum of unfavorable factors in the attitude of the parents is also seen that the tadpoles. Especially the one-sided diet in captivity is discussed as a possible cause again and again. This is to house livestock mostly from fruit flies (Drosophila), springtails ( Collembola ), bean beetles and firebrat. The Quappenaufzucht is often accomplished with flakes fish food, which spoils the water where the tadpoles live very quickly.

Protection status

Dendrobates leucomelas is listed on Appendix II of CITES Act or Annex B of the EU ArtSchVO ( EC).

Stock

According to IUCN, the total population size is not known, but the species is common and is therefore considered safely.