Panamanian golden frog

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Bufonidae
Genus:	Atelopus
Species:	A. zeteki

Binomial name

Atelopus zeteki

The Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) is an endangered frog which was endemic to Panama, where the sighting of one is considered lucky. While the IUCN still lists it as "critically endangered",^[1] it may have become extinct in the wild since 2006. Individuals have been collected for breeding in captivity in a bid to preserve the species.^[2]

In dry habitat, the adult male measures 35 to 40 mm (millimetres) and weighs 3 to 5 g (grammes). The adult female ranges from 45 to 55 mm and from 4 to 7 g. It is larger in wet forests, where the male can grow to 48 mm and weigh up to 12 g, and the female can be as large as 63 mm and weigh up to 15 g.^[3] They inhabit tropical forest regions, particularly on mountains, near streams.^[4] Populations of amphibians, including the golden frog, suffered major declines possibly due to the fungal infection, Chytridiomycosis, which eventually suffocates them. Additional factors, such as habitat loss and pollution, may have also played a role.^[4]

Amplexus can last from a few days to a couple of months, with ovipositioning usually taking place in shallow streams.^[4]

These frogs are unusual in that they communicate by a form of semaphore, waving at rivals and prospective mates. Since frogs usually communicate by croaking, this is thought to have developed in the golden frog because of the noise of the fast-moving streams which formed their natural habitat.^[2]

Although known as a frog the golden frog, despite being smooth-skinned and frog-like in appearance, is classified as a "True toad" (Bufonidae),

Like other frogs and toads, the golden frog is capable of secreting poison to help protect themselves from predators. In the case of the golden frog, this is a water-soluble neurotoxin called zetekitoxin.^[4]

The Panamanian golden frog has appeared on Panamanian lottery tickets, and is considered by some a national symbol in Panama. Folktales hold that the frogs turn into solid gold when they die.^[5]^[2]

The species was filmed for the very last time in the wild in 2007 by the BBC Natural History Unit for the series Life in Cold Blood by David Attenborough.^[2] The remaining few specimens were taken into captivity and the location of filming was kept secret to protect them from potential poachers.

[edit] Behaviour

The Golden Frog appears to socialise with other frogs using throatal sounds and hand waving. This hand waving was investigated by a group of amphibian experts and appears to be used for a variety of social situations, from friendly waves to signals to back off. A fake frog with a moving hand was used, and after repeated hand waving, the authentic frog attacked. They are so fat that they could explode.