Fascinating Facts about the Golden Poison Dart Frog

The Golden Poison Dart Frog (Phyllobates terribilis) is commonly known as the golden poison frog. It is the poison dart frog native to the Pacific Coast of Colombia. Its skin has enough poison to kill around 100 people. If you want to improve your knowledge about the most poisonous frog in the world, you have landed at the right place. Take our engaging golden poison dart frog quiz to see where you stand.

About Golden Poison Dart Frog

The Golden Poison Dart Frog was discovered in 1973 and scientifically designated in 1978. It can grow up to 5 centimeters. Its bright hue may differ from each other due to diverse geographical regions. The color of the golden poison dart frog is golden-yellow, golden-orange, or pale green. It is one of the famous poisonous animals that carry 1,900 micrograms of poison in the body. The golden poison frog has many names, including the golden poison arrow frog and golden frog. This frog lives in larger groups. These frogs may look harmless due to their vivid color and small size but are lethally toxic. The golden poison dart frog is considered the most toxic and poisonous animal in the world.

Most Poisonous Frog in the World

The golden poison frog’s skin is covered with alkaloid poison. It is one of the toxins commonly found in dart frogs. This toxic protects its victims’ nerves from transferring impulses and leaves the muscles in a numb state that leads to heart failure or fibrillation. Frogs have been storing alkaloid batrachotoxins for many years. The golden poison dart frog is poisonous, not venomous. Venomous animals have fangs or spines to transmit the toxin while poisonous animals and plants don’t have any delivery method but depend on the transference of the poison. Most poison dart frogs use the toxin to protect themselves, not to kill prey. Poison dart frogs are toxic but only three dart frogs have that poison that is deadly to humans. The golden frog is one of these. Its poison is twenty times more venomous than other dart frogs. How fast can a golden poison frog kill you? Its venom is fatal if it enters the bloodstream. A single frog has enough poison to kill over 20,000 mice and around ten humans.

Poison Dart Frogs Adaptations

Golden dart frog’s poison is produced by poison glands in its skin. If anyone or any animal touches the frog, the poison enters through an opening in the skin (cuts or abrasions). If anyone eats the frog, the poison is ingested.

Behavior

Golden poison frogs live on the ground. The female frogs lay eggs on the ground, and male frogs move them to permanent pools. They eat flies, ants, crickets, beetles, and termites. The toxic is the only defense mechanism the frog has to protect themselves from predators. 

Poison Use by Indigenous People

Phyllobates terribilis is important for the local indigenous cultures, especially to the Choco Emberá who lives in Panama’s rainforest. For them, golden poison frogs poison is the only source to hunt their food. They expose the frogs to fire or sun and extract a small amount of poisonous fluid. They use the fluid in their arrows that can remain toxic for almost two years.

Poison Dart Frog Predators

The Leimadophis Epinephelus is only one natural predator for poison dart frogs. This snake has resistance to poison dart frog’s toxicity.