Panamanian golden frog Facts
Panamanian golden frog Facts
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| Interesting Panamanian golden frog Facts: |
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| Panamanian golden frog can reach 1 to 2.5 inches in length and 0.1 to 0.5 ounces of weight. Females are two times bigger than males. |
| Color of the body depends on developmental stages. Tadpoles are blackish-grey in color. Froglets have green body covered with black markings. Adult frogs are brightly golden colored. |
| Panamanian golden frog produces toxin in the skin. Toxin keeps most predators on a safe distance. |
| Panamanian golden frogs have slender body and long legs. |
| Panamanian golden frog produces short chirps for communication but it detects the sound via vibration of the lungs because it doesn't have external ears. |
| Panamanian golden frogs wave with their hands to communicate. This unusual communication method is characteristic for the animals that live in loud environments (near the fast streams, for example) where communication via sounds is not possible. |
| Panamanian golden frog is diurnal animal (active during the day). |
| Diet of Panamanian golden frog includes different types of insects and small invertebrates. |
| Main predators of Panamanian golden frogs are fish, snakes and birds. |
| The greatest enemy of Panama golden frog is chytrid fungus that already wiped out 80% of the wild population of these frogs. |
| Mating season takes place from November to January. Male announces his readiness to mate by waving with his hands. When female accepts invitation, male climbs on her back and stays there until she finds proper place to lay eggs (usually shallow pool filled with small stones). |
| Male fertilizes long string of nearly 900 eggs hidden under the rocks that protect eggs from direct sunlight. Panamanian golden frogs do not show parental care. Eggs are left on their own until they hatch. |
| Tadpoles emerge from the eggs after 9 days. They will transform into froglets after 6 to 7 months. Amount of toxin in the skin increases as the frog grows and it reaches the maximum when frog attains adult coloration. |
| Lifespan of Panamanian golden frogs in the wild is unknown. They can survive up to 9 years in captivity. |
| Panamanian golden frog is cultural symbol in Panama. It can be seen on the T-shirts, flags, lottery tickets and posters. Even though this frog is very popular and widely appreciated by the local people, few of them managed to see this frog in the wild. |
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