Common Name: Cowan’s Mantella, Black Golden Frog
Scientific Name: Mantella cowanii
Family: Mantellidae – Mantella family
Location: Madagascar
Size: 0.86 – 1.1 inches (22 – 29 mm)
The Cowan’s Mantella lives on the forest floor in near streams and montane grasslands. During the dry season, the frogs hide in underground cavities. They are known for their black color with red, orange, or yellow bands on their legs and upper arms. Their coloration is a warning to predators that they are poisonous and to not eat them. The females of the species are slightly larger than the males. They can hybridize with the Baron Mantella (Mantella baroni).
The breeding season coincides with the start of the rainy season. The male frogs will call out to attract the female frogs. Once the female frog arrives, the male frog grasps her from behind in amplexus. The eggs are laid directly on the ground.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Cowan’s Mantella as Endangered with Extinction. The frog is found in only a few small locations on Madagascar that are threatened by human developments. Previously, they were overharvested for the pet trade but legal exporting of the frogs has been prohibited. However, there still could be illegal exporting of the mantella.