Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Mantellidae
Genus: Mantella
Species: M. aurantiaca
Conservation Status
The golden mantella frog is typically a bright yellow in color. These frogs are incredibly small, only reaching about 1 inch in length, with the males being usually smaller than the females.
They have adhesive pads on both their fingers and toes. Using their sticky pads and short legs, this helps them climb more than it allows them to hop.
The golden mantella frog is only found in central and eastern Madagascar; they dwell in the lush vegetation found in the island’s sunny forests.
This species of frog is an insectivorous species, meaning that their diet is entirely composed of insects like ants, termites, and fruit flies. Golden mantella frogs are known for their willingness to try anything they find, even if they find the taste of the organism unpleasant.
The golden mantella frog’s mating process occurs after the first heavy rains of the year, when males attract females with their distinct three-note calls. The female lays her eggs in the damp ground next to a water source, with each “pouch” of eggs containing 20-60 eggs, which is fertilized immediately by the male.
The tadpoles are born 2 weeks later. Approximately 2 months pass before the tadpoles turn into frogs. They do not gain the bright yellow color of the species until weeks later.
Golden mantella frogs can “absorb” toxins from the insects they eat and incorporate it into their own defense systems. Frogs living in an area with less of a human population tend to have more toxins than frogs living in areas with a higher density of humans due to pollutants and deforestation.
