Common Name: Fantastic Poison Frog, Crowned Poison Frog, Red-headed Poison Frog
Scientific Name: Ranitomeya fantastica
Family: Dendrobatidae – Poison Dart family
Location: Peru
Size: 0.78 inches (20 mm)
The Fantastic Poison Frog is known for their brilliant colors and patterns. They have a distinct orange head which is how they got their common names Crowned Poison Frog and Red-headed Poison Frog. I think they were a little color blind on the last name. The Fantastic Poison Frog is a member of the genus Ranitomeya, the Fingernail Dart Frogs, due to their small size.
The female frog lays between 2 – 5 eggs on the leaves of bromeliad plants. The males stay with the eggs and protects them. Then, the male move each tadpole to the waterfilled center of their own bromeliad where they will complete their metamorphosis.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Fantastic Poison Frog as Vulnerable to Extinction. The frog lives in a small area in Peru that is declining in quality. The population numbers of the frog are also declining due to over harvesting for the pet trade.