From Twomey and Brown (2017):
“These frogs are mostly terrestrial, though some individuals were observed 50 m up in trees while transporting tadpoles to tree holes.”
Climate/Range
From Twomey and Brown (2017):
“Though mostly distributed in humid lowlands and premontane rainforests from 0-800 m elevation, some montane morphs can be found up to 1200 m elevation.”
Distribution Outside the United States
Native
From Somma (2018):
“The green and black dart-poison frog is indigenous to the Central American countries of Costa Rica, Panama, southern Nicaragua, and northern Colombia (Silverstone, 1975; Frost, 1985; Savage and Villa R., 1986; Walls, 1994; Pröhl, 1997; Renjifo, [1997]; Norman, 1998; Campbell, 1999; Duellman, 1999).”
Introduced
No known introductions outside of the United States.
Means of Introduction Outside the United States
No known introductions.
Short Description
From Somma (2018):
“Dendrobates auratus is a small, dark dendrobatid (poison frog), lacking webbing on its feet, with a SVL (snout-vent length) of 25-42 mm (1-1.7 in) (Silverstone, 1975; Zimmermann, 1986; Norman, 1998). Color varies considerably and is usually a black or dark brown, with blotches, spots or bands of color, variable in size and exhibiting varying shades of green, tan, gold, yellow, blue, or blue-white (Silverstone, 1975; Savage and Villa R., 1986; Mattison, 1987a; Walls, 1994; Pröhl, 1997). Most Hawaiian specimens tend to be patterned green or green-gold, but some are blue-white (Walls, 1994; McKeown, 1996). The male's call is a slurred, high, musical "cheez-cheez-cheez" (Silverstone, 1975; Norman, 1998).”
From Schafer (1999):
“Dendrobates auratus has many color variants. Most of them are black and either green or light blue, with the black in bands or spots. The Hawaiian frogs are metallic green or brownish-black. The adults are approximately 4 cm long. As is true of most frogs, adults have a fused head and
4
