Amphibians
Introduction
Most amphibians spend most of their time both on land and in water. The word "amphibian" comes from Greek origin. The part amphi- means "of both kinds" and bios means "life". Their bodies change as they grow older. For example, the frog changes from a tadpole to a adult frog. Amphibians have skeletons made of bone, smooth and moist skin, and a three chambered heart. Amphibians lay eggs that do not have hard coverings and must be laid in moist environments such as ponds. When the young hatch, they are born with gills. Later, they develop lungs as they grow and live on land.
Blue Poison Dart Frog (Dentrobates tinctorius "azureus")
The blue poison dart frogs have beautiful and vibrant colors, but their skin is also toxic and poisonous. They have bright colors and patterns to ward off predators, which is also called aposematic coloration. To other predators, the poison dart frog's skin is distasteful and sometimes lethal. These frogs have excellent vision, and they are also very small creatures that have bodies that measure around 2 inches long and weigh about 0.3 pounds. They tend to have a lifespan of around 5 years in the wild and 10 years in captivity. Unfortunately, the populations have been slowly declining due to habitat loss.
Reproduction
During the reproductive stage, males go through an elaborate ritual to attract a mate. They make loud, shrill sounds to attract the females. After this stage is finished, the female lays her eggs on a leaf. The eggs are covered in a gel-like substance to protect the eggs from decay. Blue poison dart frog females usually lay small groups of five or six eggs. The eggs take about two weeks to hatch, and during that period, the male comes to check on them once in a awhile. After the babies hatch, they swim onto the male's back, and the male moves the tadpoles to nearby water for them to live in until they develop into adult frogs. After they have been placed into the water, they are on their own until they metamorphose into adults. The period in which they offspring go from tadpole to frog take about three month to complete.
Habitat/Location
The blue poison dart frogs are found in the rain forests of South America and Central America and on some Hawaiian islands, but they are specifically found only in the Sipaliwani savanna in Suriname, a South American country. They are active during the day and usually found in and around boulders, debris near streams, and in leaves on the ground. However, they are not found in water because they do not have webbing between their toes, which are essential for swimming.
Eating Habits
These frogs tend to forage a lot for food. They usually search for mites, spiders, ants, termites, tiny beetles, and many other small insects it can find the leaves among the forest floor. To capture their prey, they use their long and sticky tongue.
Most amphibians spend most of their time both on land and in water. The word "amphibian" comes from Greek origin. The part amphi- means "of both kinds" and bios means "life". Their bodies change as they grow older. For example, the frog changes from a tadpole to a adult frog. Amphibians have skeletons made of bone, smooth and moist skin, and a three chambered heart. Amphibians lay eggs that do not have hard coverings and must be laid in moist environments such as ponds. When the young hatch, they are born with gills. Later, they develop lungs as they grow and live on land.
Blue Poison Dart Frog (Dentrobates tinctorius "azureus")
The blue poison dart frogs have beautiful and vibrant colors, but their skin is also toxic and poisonous. They have bright colors and patterns to ward off predators, which is also called aposematic coloration. To other predators, the poison dart frog's skin is distasteful and sometimes lethal. These frogs have excellent vision, and they are also very small creatures that have bodies that measure around 2 inches long and weigh about 0.3 pounds. They tend to have a lifespan of around 5 years in the wild and 10 years in captivity. Unfortunately, the populations have been slowly declining due to habitat loss.
Reproduction
During the reproductive stage, males go through an elaborate ritual to attract a mate. They make loud, shrill sounds to attract the females. After this stage is finished, the female lays her eggs on a leaf. The eggs are covered in a gel-like substance to protect the eggs from decay. Blue poison dart frog females usually lay small groups of five or six eggs. The eggs take about two weeks to hatch, and during that period, the male comes to check on them once in a awhile. After the babies hatch, they swim onto the male's back, and the male moves the tadpoles to nearby water for them to live in until they develop into adult frogs. After they have been placed into the water, they are on their own until they metamorphose into adults. The period in which they offspring go from tadpole to frog take about three month to complete.
Habitat/Location
The blue poison dart frogs are found in the rain forests of South America and Central America and on some Hawaiian islands, but they are specifically found only in the Sipaliwani savanna in Suriname, a South American country. They are active during the day and usually found in and around boulders, debris near streams, and in leaves on the ground. However, they are not found in water because they do not have webbing between their toes, which are essential for swimming.
Eating Habits
These frogs tend to forage a lot for food. They usually search for mites, spiders, ants, termites, tiny beetles, and many other small insects it can find the leaves among the forest floor. To capture their prey, they use their long and sticky tongue.
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