How dangerous is a poisonous frog? Poisonous species of frogs: the most poisonous frog in the world

There is a proverb: “All that glitters is not gold.” This expression fits very well the description of an amphibian called "golden frog". Its other name, which is more official, is the terrible leaf climber (Phyllobates terribilis). From the name alone one can conclude that this animal has somehow displeased humanity.

Some rub their hands with pleasure, wanting to grow such a miracle in at home. Do not rush to rejoice - a golden frog raised in captivity most often loses its poisonousness. In order for the poison to be fully developed, it must feed on poisonous insects and worms, and these are found mainly in the habitats of this individual.

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The terrible leaf climber is now endangered. In general, its homeland is Colombia, where it lives along the entire Pacific coast. Warm climate, frequent rains, high humidity - all the delights of the tropical forest that such frogs simply adore. They live in groups of up to six in nature, but larger numbers can be bred in an aquarium.

The size of amphibians is very small, the color is bright and... However, not everything is so harmless. These animals are not just poisonous, but very poisonous. Even just touching it can cost you your life if you see such an individual in a real tropical forest. Unfortunately, such facts have already been recorded more than once.

What kind of poison is this, you ask? The skin of the golden frog is covered with thick, thick batrachotoxin. It is a poisonous alkaloid and is contained in the skin of many poison dart frogs. But only the golden representative has so much poison that the nervous system of any mammal, including humans, is instantly paralyzed under its influence. Impulses cease to be transmitted in the body, the work of all muscles, including the heart, stops.

But the worst thing is that even after the death of the animal, this poison is still capable of doing evil! And to convey to you, so to speak, “greetings from the other world.” One animal contains approximately 1 mg of batrachotoxin. This amount will kill approximately 10 thousand mice! Also, such a dose will be lethal for 10-20 people, two African elephants and three bulls.

Of course, nature did not come up with this mechanism for the terrible leaf climber so that everyone would hate it. This is a kind of self-defense mechanism. Companion in toxicity in Phyllobates terribilis - box jellyfish, a slightly less toxic species that lives in seawater.

As you understand, our heroine has practically no enemies. Except for the snake Liophis Epinephelu, which is not very susceptible to this poison, although there is still no complete insurance. The tribesmen themselves are also not afraid of touching each other.

If you want to have such an individual, then know: the simple ones that you feed the frog will eventually remove toxic substances from the body forever. And then pet your pet as much as you like.

, French Guiana, Guyana, Guyana and Suriname. They mainly occupy the lower layers of tropical rain forests.

Natural populations and conservation measures

Due to the growing commercial demand for keeping these bright and attractive animals as pets, as well as due to the natural limitation of the distribution of individual morphological forms in the natural habitat, natural populations of frogs may decline and even disappear, thereby disturbing the ecological balance. Strict government measures to ban and regulate trapping - the export of animals outside of countries - can help preserve the species. Such measures have been taken in Suriname and the endangered population of Lat. Dendrobates was restored. Restrictions on the export of animals have been introduced in many regions where these animals live, however, private poaching of frogs for export and sale is observed both through the pet trade network of economically successful countries, and through individual small private business representative offices and firms. Some wild animals are sold under the guise of the domestic population or as babies obtained from the wild form of the animal caught during the mating season. Currently, due to the successful maintenance and breeding of spotted poison dart frogs at home and in specialized farms, the threat of extinction of animals in natural conditions reduced.

The decline in dart frog populations is also affected by deforestation due to the development of industrial and agricultural production.

Description of the species

Body shape is normal. The size of an adult individual is about 5 - 6 cm, but occasionally representatives of some variational forms are found, the size of which reaches 8 cm. There are no membranes between the toes. The tips of the toes of the front paws are equipped with small suction cups. The colors are variegated and varied. Generally, females are larger than males.

Subspecies and variations

Features of behavior

Frogs lead a diurnal terrestrial lifestyle near streams and small ponds or puddles, and very rarely climb higher than a fallen tree or small stump. Only one that stands out from the group of poison dart frogs is the “Orange” or “Black and Yellow Giant” (lat. Dendrobates tinctorius Giant Orange ) are located on trunks in the crown of trees - at a height of one and a half to fifteen meters.

Frogs move in short dashes with frequent jerks and “bows”; They jump rarely and over very short distances. Crawling vertically, they press the belly and thighs of the inner part of the hind legs to the surface - thereby maintaining their weight.

Male Dendrobates tinctorius alanis at the Zurich Zoo

Nutrition

Reproduction

Like all dart frogs and leaf frogs, they breed on the ground and then carry the tadpoles on their own backs to a nearby body of water or to bromeliad leaves filled with rainwater. The eggs are laid in damp places directly on the ground or a plant leaf and taken care of until the tadpoles hatch.

Spawning is seasonal; as a rule, in quantities from 15 to 30 eggs. One of the parents (usually a male) is constantly near the clutch, periodically moistening it with water and stirring it with its hind legs. Females can eat the clutch. The hatched tadpoles attach to the back of the parent and travel with it to a suitable body of water. They can remain in this position for up to seven days, feeding on the remains of the yolk. The development of tadpoles lasts 14-18 days, after which the young frogs switch to a terrestrial lifestyle.

Frogs are an increased object of attention for pet lovers when kept in terrariums due to their diversity and attractiveness. Bright coloring, daily activity, interesting behavior during reproduction make you forget about their toxicity - you just need to prevent the frogs from escaping and communicate with them using rubber gloves. Young individuals and the new “domestic generation” are not so dangerous to human life.

To keep frogs, a terrarium is used that ensures the preservation of humidity and heat, as well as good ventilation. The volume of the terrarium is determined not by the requirements of the animals, but by the size of the plants that must be in it. It is advisable to provide the ability to adjust air flow and ventilation. Air temperatures range from approximately 27°C during the day and 21°C at night.

Plants for a terrarium can be either ground or epiphytic: Tradescantia, Selaginella, various bromeliads with smooth, non-thorny leaves. Epiphytes are placed in a position that is convenient and accessible for frogs. The accumulating water in the axils of bromeliad leaves serves not only as a “bathtub” for animals, but also as a “maternity room.”

When breeding frogs in terrarium conditions, a Petri dish is used, which is covered with a coconut shell, and then the eggs in the dish are removed to a separate damp place (plastic vessel) for further artificial incubation. Before hatching, the eggs in the cup are moistened with drops of settled water from

There are many different poisonous creatures on our planet. And some of them use their poisons for both defense and attack. In this article we will tell you about the most poisonous frogs that live in different parts of our Earth.

The most poisonous frogs on our Earth are frogs from the dart frog family. The size of an adult frog ranges from 3 - 6 cm, but some representatives of this species reach a size of 8 cm, females are usually larger than males.

Dart frogs have webbed feet, and there are small suckers at the ends of the toes of the front paws. Frogs have a variety of very bright colors. The skin of a dart frog is permeated with glands that secrete microscopic doses of poison; even one dose of this poison can kill a jaguar, as well as kill 10 people.

The poison of these frogs consists of a hundred different substances and is very toxic. Death occurs even if a small amount of poison gets on the skin. When the poison enters, paralysis of the upper respiratory tract, arrhythmia, myocardial paralysis, and ventricular fibrillation occur. There is no vaccine against this poison.

There is an assumption that the poison accumulates when eating ants and ticks. When the frog is kept in captivity and eats other foods, the toxicity of the poison is reduced.

Dart frogs inhabit the territories of Brazil, Guiana, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname. They live in small bodies of water and lead a diurnal terrestrial lifestyle, although they are called dart frogs, but they rarely climb higher than a small stump or onto a fallen tree. At night they sleep under leaves, under stones, in moss, under snags.

But the orange poison dart frog and the black and yellow giant prefer to climb tree trunks and are located in the crown at a height of 1.5 to 15 meters. They feed on small insects - ants, mosquitoes, ticks, midges. Food is obtained using a sticky tongue, the tongue is sharply thrown forward and the insects stick to it.

Dart frogs breed on land, during the rainy season, once a year from February to March. The female lays from 5 to 30 eggs in damp places, directly on the ground or in the leaves of the bromeliad plant.

Usually the males take care of and protect the clutch, moisten it with water so that the eggs do not dry out and mix it. Until the tadpoles hatch, they protect the eggs, since the females can eat them. When the tadpoles appear, dart frogs carry them on their backs to nearby bodies of water or to huge bromeliad leaves filled with water.

Tadpoles feed on aquatic plants, insects, the remains of plants, insects, worms that have fallen into the water, and sometimes they are not averse to snacking on their fellows. After 14-18 days, the tadpoles turn into frogs and switch to a terrestrial lifestyle.

The most venomous poison dart frogs are the spotted poison dart frog, the little poison dart frog, and the blue poison dart frog.

The spotted poison frog is native to Peru, Western Brazil and the rainforests of Ecuador and is one of the most poisonous members of the spotted frog genus. The poison of one frog is enough to poison 5 people.

This is a small frog, ranging from 16 to 19 mm, with females slightly larger than males. The frog's body is black, covered with yellow round or elongated spots. The limbs are blue with black spots, the paws are large, the first toe is shorter than the second, at the ends of the toes there are large roundnesses, twice as wide as the toe, but there is no such roundness on the first toe. The frog has a narrow head and a rounded muzzle. The main diet of frogs consists of small insects, mites and ants.

Females lay eggs, and fertilized eggs are placed one or more in small holes in trees where there is water. Once the tadpoles begin to hatch, the male takes each tadpole to other hollows and all tadpoles are raised separately from each other. Tadpoles feed on unfertilized eggs, which the female lays every 5-10 days. The tadpole tears the outer shell of the egg with its jaws and eats only the yolk.

This deadly frog lives in the rainforests of southwestern Colombia and is one of the most poisonous frogs in the world. The poison of this amphibian has a neuroparalytic effect and is capable of killing not only large animals, but is also deadly to humans; simply touching the skin of a frog can cause you to die. The toxic substance, batrachotoxin, blocks nerve channels and has a paralyzing effect on the muscles, including the heart muscle, and the person dies from arrhythmia or heart failure.

The poison is produced in the frog's body when processing food that contains toxins. Leaf climbers feed on ants, mites, small beetles and other small insects. If a frog is fed other foods for a year, no poison is produced.

The frog is colored bright yellow, the body size is from 2 to 4 cm, the fingers are without membranes, widened at the ends and play the role of suction cups, with the help of which leaf climbers move along the branches and leaves of plants.

Leaf climbers are diurnal, living in families that consist of a male and 3-5 females. They reproduce by laying 15 to 30 eggs on land, in damp places.

The male watches over the eggs, and when the tadpoles hatch, he takes care of them. Small tadpoles attach to the back of the male and move with him to the water. When tadpoles are 10 days old, they begin to swim independently. After two weeks they turn into frogs and come out onto land. Small frogs are pale yellow with black stripes on the back and sides, but as they grow, they acquire a bright yellow color. In nature, leaf climbers are found with orange and red, as well as pale green skin color.

Another poisonous frog living on our planet is called the bicolor phyllomedusa, belongs to the tree frog family and is also considered a very dangerous frog. This frog lives in the Amazon forests in western and northern Brazil, northern Bolivia, southeastern Colombia and Venezuela, Guiana and eastern Peru.

The poison of this frog causes hallucinations and problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Local tribes living along the banks of the Amazon specifically use poison to induce hallucinations.

The body length of the bicolor phyllomedusa is 6 cm, the upper side of the frog's body is green, and the sides and legs have different colors from orange-red to purple.

Two-colored phyllojellyfish live in the crowns of tall trees, clinging to thin branches and leaves with their fingers. Caviar is laid on trees in wide leaves, which are wrapped and glued in the form of a bag.

Another frog, more precisely, the Chiriquita toad is considered one of the most poisonous frogs in the world. This toad lives on the isthmus between North and South America, in Panama and Costa Rica. It is brightly colored and small in size - the male is only about three cm in size, and the females grow from 3.5 to 5 cm. The chiriquita toad is endangered.

The poison is a neurotoxin produced by the skin and contained in the mucus of the toad. If the venom of this toad gets on a person’s skin, the sodium and potassium channels in the nerve endings are blocked and the person’s coordination of movements is impaired, convulsions occur and paralysis of the limbs occurs. There is no antidote, but during general detoxification of the body, it leaves a chance for survival.

All the frogs that we told you about have a very attractive appearance due to their bright, varied skin color, but they are one of the most dangerous creatures on our planet.

Phyllobates terribilis— a small frog from the genus of leaf climbers of the poison dart frog family. One of the most poisonous vertebrates on Earth. I - batrachotoxin.

This the amphibian is considered one of the most poisonous representatives of the fauna of our planet. Terrible leaf climber is the world's largest poisonous frog.

It’s hard to imagine, but this “monster”, dangerous for all living things, measures only two to four centimeters! What is its danger?

Why is the terrible leaf climber so scary?

The most important feature of the golden frog is that the danger when meeting it does not lie in the teeth, poisonous sting or toxic liquid injected at the moment of danger. This amphibian has a poisonous entire surface of its skin; it is covered with so much toxic substance - batrachotoxin that it is enough to poison more than ten people with a tragic outcome. And it doesn’t matter whether someone tries to offend her or just accidentally touches her - this is deadly! The poison, when it gets on the victim, blocks the nerve channels, has a paralyzing effect on the muscles, including the heart, so death occurs from heart failure or arrhythmia.

Horrible leaf climber (Phyllobates terribilis).

The indigenous peoples of Colombia have used this poison for centuries to lubricate arrowheads, but the most amazing thing is that the toxin retains its terrible properties for up to two years! It is known that if any animal simply sits in the place where the terrible leaf climber was previously, its death is inevitable. One frog may contain only up to one milligram of batrachotoxin, but this amount is enough to kill two elephants. With its bright colors, the frog seems to warn everyone: "Careful - I'm very dangerous!"

A terrible leaf climber, a seemingly ordinary, small harmless frog.

What are the structural features of the golden frog?

Terrible leaf climbers very rarely reach sizes greater than five centimeters in length. One of the features of frogs of this species is the absence of membranes on their legs. But at the tips of their fingers there are disc-shaped extensions, similar to suction cups, with the help of which they climb trees. In addition, these frogs, unlike all other representatives of the genus, have bone plates in the lower jaw - the rudiments of teeth. It is also curious that these amphibians cannot tolerate even short-term hunger strikes. They must eat often, otherwise just three days without food can kill them.

The venom of this harmless amphibian is extremely toxic..

Habitat of Leaf Climbers– tropical rainforests, their lower layer, where they live in small groups and lead a diurnal lifestyle. Usually their “family” consists of four or five females and only one male, because males have a strong sense of ownership and fight with each other for territory. Their confrontation is expressed as follows: the males first compete with their voices, producing short trills from several minutes to several hours, and if no one gives in, then it all ends in a real brawl, reminiscent of freestyle wrestling.

Terrible leaf climbers are caring parents and excellent hunters

Another feature of these amphibians is that they spawn on land, and not in water, like most of their relatives. In dark and damp thickets, the female lays 15 - 30 eggs and considers her mission completed - she leaves. The father remains near the eggs, he protects them, waters them with water, and periodically stirs them with his hind legs. A few days later, when the tadpoles appear, the father places them on his back and heads to the pond.

Terrible leaf climber - poisonous yellow frog.

The tadpoles develop in the aquatic environment for two or three weeks, and then the frogs are born. Now they can go onto land and begin an independent life, but still young individuals continue to live with their parents or not far from them for quite a long time. This can continue until the moment when the grown frogs themselves are ready to create their own “family.”

An interesting fact remains that the golden poison frog never uses its terrible poison for hunting, feeding on ticks, small ants, bugs and other insects. By nature, she is a peaceful creature, and her formidable weapon - a poisonous toxin - serves only for self-defense.

Ironically, the most beautiful representatives of the animal world are often the most dangerous and even deadly for humans and other representatives of the fauna. It's the same with frogs. So, the most poisonous and most beautiful frogs in the world.

The more beautiful, the more dangerous. So much more dangerous that just one touch to their skin can be fatal. So which one should we be wary of?

Phyllomedusa bicolor

Sometimes it is also called the "monkey frog". A large individual that can boast of its two-color body, as its name immediately implies: its upper part is painted in a bright light green color, slightly yellow towards the edge of the transition down, where the second, brown side of the frog begins, which has light spots. She is very curious and can go anywhere in search of adventure. The venom of the bicolor phyllomedusa causes strong, not very pleasant hallucinations and stomach upset. However, some tribes living off the coast of the Amazon are deliberately “poisoned” with poison to induce hallucinations.

Spotted dart frog

A stunningly beautiful frog: the head and body are decorated with large black and yellow circles, and the legs are black and blue. The skin of this frog is interesting not only for its beauty and poisonousness, but also because with its help, or more precisely, with the help of the poison secreted, Amazonian aborigines change the color of their feathers.

Red-backed poison frog

A bright red head and back, black circles on a light body, this is exactly what the poisonous little one originally from Peru looks like. Like many other animals, it produces its poison with the help of special food, in this case poisonous ants. The frog uses poison only in case of its own protection.

Little poison dart frog

A bright, orange-red, very small frog that lives in the impenetrable forests of Central America. Her bright color warns that the frog is as dangerous as fire. And this is true, the poison of her skin leaves an unpleasant feeling of a burn.

Blue dart frog

A very cute creature, bright blue, the sides of this frog are slightly lighter than the rest of the body, but no less bright for this. The venom of this creature can kill the largest predator and even humans.

Charming leaf climber

This wonderful name is given to a small frog from Central America. It is the least poisonous compared to its other brethren, but this does not mean that its poison can give someone joy. The frog itself is very dark, almost black, with two bright orange stripes along its back.

Striped leaf climber

The poison of this frog causes very severe pain and can even lead to paralysis. She has the same bright orange stripes along her back as the charming leaf climber, only wider. The frog itself is dark green, sometimes brown.

Spotted poison frog

In the tropical forests of Ecuador and Peru lives a beautiful frog, rightfully called the most poisonous among all representatives, because its poison is enough to kill up to 5 people! But you shouldn’t be afraid of her prematurely; she won’t attack first. In appearance it has many similarities with the spotted poison dart frog. Only the spotted frog has larger spots all over its body.

Three-striped leaf climber

In the native forests of Ecuador, it is now rare to see these beautiful, bright red frogs, with three light, almost white stripes on their backs. Researchers are trying to save their species by breeding them in captivity. After all, their poison is not only deadly, but also useful, as it is about 200 times superior to morphine and is an excellent pain reliever.