Splendid poison frog
The splendid poison frog (Oophaga speciosa) is an extinct species of poison dart frog that was endemic to the eastern end of Cordillera de Talamanca, western Panama.[2] Its natural habitats are humid lowland and montane forests.[1]
| Splendid poison frog | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Dendrobatidae |
| Genus: | Oophaga |
| Species: | †O. speciosa |
| Binomial name | |
| †Oophaga speciosa (Schmidt, 1857) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Dendrobates speciosus Schmidt, 1857 | |
Conservation status
Müllerian mimicry was a natural phenomenon that played a pivotal role in the conservation of the splendid poison tree frog. It closely resembled the strawberry poison frog, which provided protection from predators for both species.[3] The species was formerly common, but its present population status is poorly known. It is now classified as extinct.[4] A major factor contributing to its extinction is believed to be the spread of the amphibian chytrid fungus[1] which spread in the region after the last recorded sighting.
References
- IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Oophaga speciosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T55201A54344718. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T55201A54344718.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Oophaga speciosa (Schmidt, 1857)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- VALKONEN, JANNE K.; MAPPES, JOHANNA (2014). "Resembling a Viper: Implications of Mimicry for Conservation of the Endangered Smooth Snake". Conservation Biology. 28 (6): 1568–1574. doi:10.1111/cobi.12368. ISSN 0888-8892. JSTOR 24482120. PMID 25103364. S2CID 31971081.
- "Splendid creature forever gone..." Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
