Golden Mantella
Encyclopedia
The Golden Mantella is a small, terrestrial frog
endemic to Madagascar
.
is visible, but small. Their brightly colored skin warns their predators that they are very poisonous.. There is also a red form.
, they will move towards a suitable area, and lay eggs. They lay eggs
on moist land, and the tadpoles are washed into water once they hatch.
The Golden Mantella is a small frog, and as such, is restricted to a diet of small invertebrates. They live at an altitude of about 900 m.
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
endemic to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
Description
As suggested by the name, the Golden Mantella has an aqua/chartruse dorsal surface. The ventral surface is yellow in females, and a lighter yellow in the males. The inside of the thigh occasionally exhibits bright red colouring. These frogs are small, reaching a size of 2.5 cm (1 in) in length. The tympanumTympanum (zoology)
The tympanum is an external hearing structure in animals such as frogs, toads, insects, and mammals, to name a few.-Anurans:In frogs and toads, it is located just behind the eye. It does not actually process sound waves; it simply transmits them to the amphibian's inner ear, which is protected...
is visible, but small. Their brightly colored skin warns their predators that they are very poisonous.. There is also a red form.
Ecology and behavior
The Golden Mantellas do not have a particular mating season; they will mate after rain and if enough food is available. The males will call in a concealed position near a water source. The call is a series of three clicks, repeated many times. Once the females is amplexedAmplexus
Amplexus is a form of pseudocopulation in which a male amphibian grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process...
, they will move towards a suitable area, and lay eggs. They lay eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
on moist land, and the tadpoles are washed into water once they hatch.
The Golden Mantella is a small frog, and as such, is restricted to a diet of small invertebrates. They live at an altitude of about 900 m.