A Close-Up View of Ameerega Dart Frogs
- Apr 1
- 1 min read
As we travelled through Peru in search of Ranitomeya and Excidobates dart frogs, we also came across quite a number of different Ameerega species.
These are incredibly fast and beautiful dart frogs that live near streams and have a very loud, persistent call. We could hear them from a distance. The most common species is Ameerega trivittata, a large frog (around 42–55 mm) with striking green stripes. These frogs were not particularly shy, though their flight distance was still about one metre.
A striking characteristic of these frogs is the granular texture of their skin on the back.
Ameerega silverstonei, Ameerega cainarachi and Ameerega trivittata back
In total, we found seven species, some of which are listed endangered by IUCN and not available in the hobby. The good news is that captive Ameerega species breed well, producing plenty of eggs and tadpoles, so many species are available as captive-bred frogs.
The seven species we found are:
• Ameerega trivittata (42–55 mm), listed as Least Concern
• Ameerega rubriventris (22–24 mm), listed as Endangered
• Ameerega pongoensis (size unspecified), listed as Vulnerable
• Ameerega altamazonica (18–25 mm), not considered Endangered
• Ameerega cainarachi (26–31 mm), listed as Endangered
• Ameerega bassleri (39–45 mm), listed as Vulnerable
• Ameerega silverstonei (40–42 mm), listed as Endangered
Finding the last species required a two-day search high up in the Cordillera Azul (Huánuco department) at an altitude of 1,400 metres. Eventually, on a rainy day, we found one. Our guide mentioned that they could only be found in the rain.
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