Green and Black Poison Dart Frog

The Green and Black Poison Dart Frog is easy to recognize by its bright green body marked with black stripes, spots, and blotches. Their green coloring can range from light to dark shades, but all serve the same purpose: warning predators that the frog may be toxic. Adults usually grow up to about 1.5 inches long, with males often being slightly smaller than females.

Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs live on the rainforest floor, usually close to streams, pools, or other freshwater sources where they can breed. They are found in Central America, including Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, and extend into parts of Colombia.

These frogs are insectivores and feed on small invertebrates such as ants, mites, and beetles.

Male Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs use distinct calls to attract mates. Like many frogs, each species has its own recognizable call, helping males and females find one another in dense forest habitats. Their breeding behavior is closely tied to access to water, where developing young can continue to grow. In human care, they can live around 10 to 15 years.

The Green and Black Poison Dart Frog's bright coloration is a form of aposematic coloration, which warns predators that it may be dangerous to eat. Poison dart frogs are also known as poison arrow frogs, a name tied to the historical use of their toxins by some Indigenous groups. Scientists have also studied compounds from poison dart frogs for their possible medical uses, including pain research.

Least Concern