Dendrobates tinctorius
Encyclopedia
Dendrobates tinctorius, also known by the common name
dyeing dart frog, is a species of poison dart frog
. It is the third largest species, reaching lengths of 50 millimetres (2 in). This species is distributed throughout the eastern portion of the Guiana Shield, including parts of Guyana
, Suriname
, Brazil
, and nearly all of French Guiana
.
and morph
s). Some batrachologists suspect that some of these are actually different species.
s, and the toxifying of the bird's skin causes them to grow feathers of different colors.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
dyeing dart frog, is a species of poison dart frog
Poison dart frog
Poison dart 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...
. It is the third largest species, reaching lengths of 50 millimetres (2 in). This species is distributed throughout the eastern portion of the Guiana Shield, including parts of Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Suriname
Suriname
Suriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and nearly all of French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
.
Distribution
It exists in discrete patches throughout this region, being restricted to "highland" (up to 350 metres (1,148.3 ft)) areas. While this species can be found at sea level, these individuals have been collected at the base of nearby hills or mountains. The isolation of populations has presumably occurred as a result of the erosion of these highland areas and the seasonal inundation of the inter-patch areas.Morphs
The species encompasses a great diversity of color and patterning variants (subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
and morph
Morph
- Astronomy :* Morphs collaboration, a collaboration that studied the evolution of spiral galaxies using the Magellan and the Hubble Space Telescope- Biology :...
s). Some batrachologists suspect that some of these are actually different species.
Etymology
The specific name tinctorius comes, however, not from the variety of colors, but from the way some indigenous tribes use the frogs. They rub them on the skin of young parrotParrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s, and the toxifying of the bird's skin causes them to grow feathers of different colors.