One of the 47 frogs on WAnimals
Amphibians · Anura · Dendrobatidae
Golden Poison Frog
Phyllobates terribilis
It faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. See full glossary
Considered the most poisonous animal in the world for its size, its striking yellow warns predators of its toxicity.
Weight
1 g – 2 g
Size
4 cm – 6 cm
Lifespan
10 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Estimated population
No published global figure: it is abundant within its range, but that range covers less than 5,000 km² on the Pacific coast of Colombia, concentrated in the upper basin of the Saija river
Fun facts
- Its poison could kill ten adults.
- The Emberá people used it to poison hunting darts.
- In captivity, without its natural diet, it stops producing poison.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - light bony skeleton (amphibian)
- Habitat & environment
- Tropical rainforest of the Pacific coast of Colombia (Chocó), in a very restricted range of under 5,000 km²
- Size at birth
- They hatch from eggs after ~2 weeks; the males carry the larvae on their backs to the water
- Sexual maturity
- Roughly 18 months, though tied more to size than to exact age
- Gestation / incubation
- ~2 weeks until the egg hatches; metamorphosis complete after 10-14 weeks in the water
- Litter / clutch size
- Up to 20-28 eggs per clutch
- Lifespan in captivity
- Up to 20 years in captivity
Sources consulted: Dimensions.com; Animal Diversity Web; National Geographic; The Animal Facts; Wikipedia (Golden poison frog); Citizen Conservation breeding guidelines; IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2017, IUCN Red List (En peligro): población en descenso continuo por deforestación, conversión a cultivos, minería y contaminación por pesticidas || IUCN Red List, evaluación de Phyllobates terribilis; Animal Diversity Web
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round, after rain
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Golden Poison Frog — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Green and Black Poison Frog
Dendrobates auratus
Dyeing Poison Frog
Dendrobates tinctorius
Granular Poison Frog
Oophaga granulifera
Strawberry Poison Frog
Oophaga pumilio
EndangeredCentral American Spider Monkey
Ateles geoffroyi
Common Woolly Monkey
Lagothrix lagothricha
How to help
The golden poison frog is classified as endangered. Organizations such as Fundación ProAves work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about golden poison frog.
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