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Hahnel's poison frog
Ameerega hahneli
A small diurnal dart frog from the Amazon basin, recognized by its dark back, yellow lateral stripes, and complex parental care.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Dendrobatidae
Subfamily:Colostethinae
Genus:Ameerega
Species:Ameerega hahneli
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
75 - 90 %
Day temperature
25 °C
Night temperature
21 °C
Ambient temperature
25 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: This species is widely distributed in the upper Amazon basin of South America, occurring in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, and western Brazil. It inhabits the leaf litter of primary and secondary tropical rainforests at low elevations, preferring flat terrain near small streams, swamps, and forest clearings where the wet leaf litter layer is thick and ground humidity is high.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Ameerega hahneli belongs to the family Dendrobatidae. Previously classified within the genus Epipedobates, it was later relocated to the genus Ameerega. Phylogenetic studies indicate that it belongs to a species complex with significant genetic variation among geographically isolated populations, which also exhibit distinct courtship calls.
Behavior and Habits: It is a diurnal and terrestrial frog that spends the day actively foraging for prey in the leaf litter. It exhibits pronounced territorial behavior, especially among males, which defend their calling sites from intruders. Parental care is complex: the male carries the tadpoles on his back to suitable water bodies (temporary pools or slow-moving streams) where they complete metamorphosis.
Morphology: It is a small species, with adults reaching a total length of 2 to 2.8 cm. It features a slender body with smooth skin. The dorsal color is dark brown or blackish, with a bright yellow or cream longitudinal stripe running along each flank. Bright orange-yellow or red spots are present on the axillae and the base of the hind limbs, serving as an aposematic warning to predators.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: It requires a horizontally oriented terrarium (minimum 50x40x40 cm for a small group). The terrarium should be set up as a bioactive Amazonian forest floor, with moisture-loving live plants (such as Fittonias, ferns, and small philodendrons), hides made of halved coconut shells, and a thick layer of sterilized oak or Indian almond leaves. The ideal substrate is acidic peat moss covered with sphagnum.
Lighting and Heating: Moderate daytime lighting is required to support live plant growth and the frogs' circadian rhythms; a low-intensity UVB light (2.0 or a shaded 5%) is highly recommended for overall health. Optimal daytime temperatures should range between 24°C and 26°C, with a nighttime drop to 20°C-22°C. Avoid temperatures exceeding 28°C to prevent heat stress.
Humidity and Hydration: Humidity must be kept very high, constantly fluctuating between 80% and 90%. To maintain this, mist the enclosure with dechlorinated or RO water twice a day, or install an automatic misting system. A shallow pool of water (about 1-2 cm deep) must be present on the bottom of the enclosure to support hydration and allow tadpole transport.
Feeding and Supplementation: They feed exclusively on live micro-insects due to their small size. Their diet should consist of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila hydei), springtails, plant aphids, and pinhead crickets. It is vital to dust the prey at every feeding with pure calcium and an amphibian-specific vitamin supplement containing vitamin A and D3 to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease.
Compatibility: They can be kept in small mixed groups (e.g., 2 males and 3 females) in spacious terrararia, provided there are enough visual barriers to minimize male territorial behavior. Due to their size and skin secretions, they should never be housed with frogs of other species. Cohabitation with springtails and isopods is excellent as they help maintain the substrate.
Health and Common Diseases: In captivity, they lose their native skin toxicity because they do not consume the wild insects from which they synthesize toxic alkaloids. The main health risks stem from poor substrate hygiene, which causes bacterial skin infections, stress from overcrowding or handling, and nutritional deficiencies from non-supplemented food. Regularly monitor weight and activity levels.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
This species is widely distributed in the upper Amazon basin of South America, occurring in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, and western Brazil. It inhabits the leaf litter of primary and secondary tropical rainforests at low elevations, preferring flat terrain near small streams, swamps, and forest clearings where the wet leaf litter layer is thick and ground humidity is high.
Origin
Amazon, Orinoco, and Guianas
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 2.3 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 2.3 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 2.3 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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