Ranitomeya reticulata

species of amphibian

The reticulated poison frog, red back poison frog, or redbacked poison frog (Ranitomeya reticulata) is a frog. It lives in Peru and Ecuador.[2][3][1]

Ranitomeya reticulata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Dendrobatidae
Genus: Ranitomeya
Species:
R. reticulata
Binomial name
Ranitomeya reticulata
(Boulenger, 1884)
Synonyms[2]
  • Dendrobates reticulatus Boulenger, 1884
  • Dendrobates tinctorius igneus Melin, 1941
  • Ranitomeya reticulata Bauer, 1986
  • Ranitomeya ignea Grant, Frost, Caldwell, Gagliardo, Haddad, Kok, Means, Noonan, Schargel, and Wheeler, 2006
  • Dendrobates igneus Santos, Coloma, Summers, Caldwell, Ree, and Cannatella, 2009

The adult male frog is 13.0 to 15.0 mm long from nose to rear end and the adult female frog is about 14.0–17.0 mm long. The top of the head and skin of the back are a color red that looks like metal or brown-red. Some frogs have black spots. The tops of the four legs, sides, and belly are gray or blue-gray with black marks.[3]

Scientists named this frog reticulata in Latin because the pattern on its belly and legs is called "reticulated" in English.[3]

This frog lives in rainforests that have never been cut down and in rainforests that have been cut down and are growing back. People have seen this frog between 150 and 340 meters above sea level.[1][3]

The female frog lays eggs on the ground. After the eggs hatch, the male frog carries the tadpoles water in holes in trees or in bromeliad plants high off the ground.[1]

Danger

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Scientists believe this frog is not danger of dying out because it lives in a large place. But it is in some danger because people kill trees, for example to make charcoal: People set the forest on fire so they can sell the char for fuel. Scientists think people might also catch this frog to sell.[1]

One of the places this frog lives is a protected park: Reserva Nacional Allpahuayo Mishana.[1]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2018). "Red-backed Poison Frog: Ranitomeya reticulata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T88975754A61395636. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T88975754A61395636.en. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Frost, Darrel R. "Ranitomeya reticulata (Boulenger, 1884)". Amphibian Species of the World, an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Diego A. Ortiz; Luis A. Coloma; Caty Frenkel (August 15, 2018). Santiago R.Ron (ed.). "Ranitomeya reticulata (Boulenger, 1884)". AmphibiaWeb (in Spanish). University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved June 20, 2024.