Poison dart frog (also dart-poison frog, poison frog or formerly poison arrow frog) is the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to Central and South America. These species are diurnal and often have brightly-colored bodies. Although all wild dendrobatids are at least somewhat toxic, levels of toxicity vary considerably from one species to the next and from one population to another. Many species are critically endangered. These amphibians are often called "dart frogs" due to the Amerindians' indigenous use of their toxic secretions to poison the tips of blowdarts. However, of over 175 species, only four have been documented as being used for this purpose (curare plants are more commonly used), all of which come from the Phyllobates genus, which is characterized by the relatively large size and high levels of toxicity of its members.
Read more about Poison Dart Frog: Characteristics, Habitat, Reproduction, Taxonomy, Toxicity and Medicine, Evolution of Skin Coloration and Toxicity, Captive Care, Conservation Status
Famous quotes containing the words poison, dart and/or frog:
“In poison there is physic, and these news,
Having been well, that would have made me sick,
Being sick, have in some measure made me well.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Veils to my eyes?
nay, do not be afraid
that they will dart forth
serpents of appeal.”
—Hilda Doolittle (1886–1961)
“What a wonderful bird the frog are—
When he stand he sit almost;
When he hop, he fly almost.
He ain’t got no sense hardly;
He ain’t got no tail hardly either.
When he sit, he sit on what he ain’t got almost.”
—Unknown. The Frog (l. 1–6)