Mimic poison frog

Appearance

Among different populations of "R. imitator", different color morphs are present to mimic other poison frog species. There are four color morphs among "R. imitator" populations that mimic closely related sympatric species: varadero, striped, spotted, and banded. The geographic distribution of these morphs primarily includes geographically isolated populations in different areas of Peru, however there are a number of "transition zones" between populations where different color morphs interact. The striped morph is the most widely spread, mimicking the striped "Ranitomeya variabilis" and can be found throughout the lower Huallaga River drainage in Peru. The spotted morph mimics the highland spotted frog "Ranitomeya variabilis" with mainly blue-green coloration, but can be found in other forms, sometimes in yellow. Although "R. imitator" closely resembles "R. variabilis" in coloration with its striped morph, the two species differ in many key aspects. "R. imitator" provides biparental care and is a monogamous species, while "R. variabilis" provides solely paternal care and is polygamous. The "aradero" morph is a lowland form that lives nearby another but does not resemble it. Last, the banded morph, a mimic of "Ranitomeya summersi", lives in much drier climates than the average "R. imitator" and is most often found in "Dieffenbachia" and "Heliconia" plants.

Naming

Its common names include mimic poison frog and poison arrow frog, and it is one of the best known dart frogs.

Habitat

This frog has been found in primary and old-growth secondary rainforests between 200 and 1200 meters above sea level. This frog is diurnal, with two periods of activity, one early in the day and one later.

The male frogs are territorial, and will attack other males that enter their range. Generally, the frog chooses one good plant to retreat to and works from there. Mated pairs have closely overlapping ranges.

Reproduction

The reproductive and parental care behaviors exhibited by this species have been of great interest to a variety of researchers, namely because "R. imitator" is the first amphibian to show evidence of monogamy, and because it independently evolved biparental care. Further, the occurrence of both of these factors supports the hypothesis that biparental care favors the evolution of monogamy, for which evidence has previously been restricted to other groups of vertebrates. The parental care provided to "R. imitator" offspring has been demonstrated to be vital for offspring growth and success.

Food

These frogs eat ants, mites, and other invertebrates, such as flies, beetles, and springtails.

Predators

Compared to many other dart frog species, "Ranitomeya imitator" has relatively large and stable wild populations. What threat it faces comes from habitat loss associated with farming, livestock cultivation, and logging. People also illegally collect and export this frog for the international pet trade. They have also been imported legally, and multiple captive-bred varieties exist in the pet trade.

Defense

Like most other "Ranitomeya" species, "R. imitator" has a mild toxicity compared to other poison dart frogs. It produces the potent pumiliotoxin B, but its small size limits the amount of poison it can secrete. Like other poison dart frogs, it does not produce toxin in captivity. It probably gains its poison from consuming toxic insects or other invertebrates in the wild. Frogs of the related genus "Phyllobates" may derive their toxins from local melyrid beetles of genus "Choresine".