Appearance
"Ranitomeya variabilis" usually has a bright yellow body with deep blue limbs, and black spots or stripes across the ventral side of the body. The colors change in some geographic locations. "R. variabilis" has different mimicry relationships with two other species. Like other frogs in the same family, "R. variabilis" has toxic skin alkaloid which repels potential predators.Naming
Its common name, Zimmerman's poison frog, is named after Elke Zimmermann, a German zoologist who described the morph of this species and differentiated it from "D. ventrimaculatus". The species was formerly considered to be synonymous with "Ranitomeya ventrimaculata".Distribution
"R. variabilis" is native to South America. It is mainly distributed in the western region of the Amazonian-Orinocan Lowlands, which is around northern Peru, Ecuador, western Brazil, and the southern Colombia region. "R. variabilis" can be found as far as 195 kilometers southeast of Brazil.Status
"R. variabilis" populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation due to agricultural development and logging. "R. variabilis" is involved in illegal pet trafficking for poison dart frogs.Behavior
"R. variabilis" are cannibalistic even as tadpoles, so adult male parents may allow tadpoles to jump on their backs and transport them to less crowded areas. Adult "R. variabilis" use chemical cues to determine the presence of tadpoles and whether they are cannibalistic or not.Habitat
The average rainfall in areas in which "R. variabilis" habituate is around 2500 mm, with a dry season between June and September. This dry season is correlated with changes in parental and egg deposition behaviors. Temperature varies from 16 to 32°C and tends to be on the lower end during the dry season. Adults are often found in secondary to ancient forests because of the presence of ideal oviposition sites. Individuals have also been found around higher arboreal perches.Reproduction
Reproduction occurs during the day and peaks after rain. Males initiate advertisement calls when they see a female and approach the female with increasing calling frequency. Males usually call around suitable phytotelma, and once the female lay the eggs, the male fertilize them. Female "R. variabilis" usually lay around 2-6 eggs in water. The species also has a promiscuous mating system, meaning males and females mated randomly and polygynously. "R. variabilis" exhibit little to no mate fidelity.Male "R. variabilis" call from arboreal perches in the presence of females. The calling frequency increases as the male approach the female. Calling only occurs when males attempt to attract females. "R. variabilis" makes a buzzing call ranging from 106 – 297 pulses per second, each pulse ranging from 0.14 to 0.44 seconds and intervals ranging from 0.6 to 2.0 seconds. These short, high-frequency calls are common among other frogs within the "variabilis" group.
Two males wrestle to determine dominance when they come into conflict over a female. The winner has the opportunity to fertilize the eggs first. The subordinate male has the chance to fertilize the egg after the dominant male while the dominant male continues to court the female, even after the initial fertilization. This fertilization process can repeat in multiple cycles.
Food
"R." "variabilis" tadpoles are known to be omnivorous and cannibalistic. In addition to eggs and conspecific tadpoles in the same phytotelma, "R. variabilis" tadpoles are also able to feed on organic detritus, small insect larvae, and other anuran eggs.Adult "R. variabilis" generally prey on ants, fruit flies, termites, and small beetles.
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