| PANAMANIAN GOLDEN FROG |
| Atelopus zeteki |
|
Range:
|
Panama. |
 The Panamanian golden frog is a critically endangered toad which is endemic to Panama. Individuals have been collected for breeding in captivity in a bid to preserve the species.
|
| Habitat: |
High elevation cloud and rain forests located near freshwater streams. |
| Diet: |
Panamanian golden frogs are insectivores. They feed on a wide variety of small invertebrates found in their habitats. |
| Status: |
The main threat to Panamanian golden frogs in the wild is habitat loss and human activities such as illegal collection for the pet trade. Scientists have discovered a pathogenic fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or the chytrid fungus, which is decimating amphibian populations. Panamanian golden frogs have disappeared from a large area of their native range. |
| Approximate Dimensions of Adult: |
Weight: Males - 0.1 to 0.4 ounces, females - 0.14 to 0.5 ounces.
Length: Males are 1.5 to 2 inches; females are 2 to 3 inches. |
| Lifespan: |
It is unsure how long a Panamanian golden frog lives in the wild. In captivity, they can live up to 5 years or longer. |
| Reproduction & Offspring: |
Mating occurs during the rainy season from November to December. Females return to the streams from the forest, they are then met by males who have laid claim to territories around the stream. Females deposit large clutches of eggs. The eggs are laid in long strands encased in a protective gel. A single egg clutch can number as many as 900 eggs. The eggs are light- sensitive and laid underwater in dark crevices. The eggs develop for only two to six days. Tadpoles hatch out and feed on diatoms and algae found in the streams. Golden frogs remain in the tadpole stage for a period of 120-240 days when they emerge from the water as tiny frogs. There is not parental behavior observed in golden frogs. Offspring are left to fend for themselves. Large numbers perish before reaching adulthood. |
|
