Poison jewels: the dart frogs

These South American frogs are brightly coloured and highly poisonous. The colour alone deters many predators, but when threatened, these frogs also release deadly poisons through their skin.

All dart frogs in the Dendrobatidae family (about 170 species) are toxic to different degrees. These poisons taste fowl and are inedible by predators. However, some poisons are far worse, causing rapid paralysis and death of an attacker if they enter their bloodstream through the mouth.

Green and black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus) - a least concern species from Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Colombia.

Golden mantella frogs (Mantella aurantiaca) - a critically endangered species from Madagascar. They are part of the Mantellidae family, but like dart frogs, are poisonous and ‘aposematic’ (using bright colours to warn predators).

Deadliest of them all

The most dangerous dart frog is the Golden poison (or arrow) frog (Phyllobates terribilis) from Columbia. It is considerably more dangerous than other Dendrobatidae and contains enough poison to kill several men. (See picture above).

Indigenous people use the skin secretions of this frog to lace arrows and blow-darts for hunting. These poisoned weapons will kill prey instantly (such as monkeys), but the animal becomes safe to eat after cooking.

Safe in captivity

Our frogs at The Living Rainforest are entirely harmless, including the Golden Poison Frog. This frog only becomes toxic by eating the defensive toxins of poisonous ants. The poison is called batrachotoxin (a toxic alkolide) and causes cardiac arrest.

Medicine from frogs

Researchers have recently developed a painkiller known as ‘ABT-594′ using the dart frogs’ poison. This is 200 times as powerful as morphine, but without any side effects or addiction.

The toxins from Dendrobates auratus are being studied for their potential use in treating heart attacks.