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AmphibianTerrestrialIntermediate
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Green and Black Dart Frog "Pena Blanca"
Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
Endemic to Panama, this unique auratus morph has a nearly solid white or cream-colored back with dark spots. It is a shy, terrestrial frog needing a highly humid, cool terrarium.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Dendrobatidae
Genus:Dendrobates
Species:Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
80 - 100 %
Day temperature
23 - 26 °C
Night temperature
20 °C
Ambient temperature
23 - 26 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Basso
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Found across Central America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) and northern Colombia. In contrast to other species, this frog is frequently observed in cacao plantations, damp gardens, and lowland rainforest edges, demonstrating high adaptability to secondary environments.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Reaches an adult size of 3.5 to 4.5 cm. The "Pena Blanca" morph is a distinct locality characterized by a dark base color overlaid with pale mint or almost white bands and reticulated patterns.
Behavior and Habits: Generally shy and elusive, they spend a large part of their day hidden within dense vegetation, emerging after rain to hunt. The male's mating call is a sustained buzzing sound. They are semi-arboreal, climbing logs and low branches.
Morphology: Sexual dimorphism is subtle. Adult females are larger and more robust. Males are slimmer and exhibit small, weakly developed nuptial pads when mature.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Provide a terrarium featuring both ample floor space and moderate vertical height (e.g. 45x45x60 cm). Dense plantings of mosses, ferns, and bromeliads along with a thick oak or beech leaf litter layer are essential for their security.
Lighting and Heating: Keep daytime temperatures between 23-26°C, with a nighttime drop to about 20°C. Avoid exposing them to temperatures over 28°C. Install high-quality plant lights and a low UVB source (2-5% UVI) in the basking area.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity levels between 80% and 95% using automatic daily misting. Excellent cross-ventilation is required to prevent stagnant moisture and mold formation.
Feeding and Supplementation: Feed 4-5 times a week with flightless fruit flies (Drosophila), springtails, and micro isopods. Dust all prey items with calcium carbonate at every feeding, and a vitamin/D3 complex once a week.
Compatibility: Relatively peaceful and can be housed in small groups or harems (one male, multiple females) in well-structured terrariums with ample visual barriers.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly susceptible to the chytrid fungus and skin infections if kept in unhygienic conditions. Maintain high hygiene standards, use reverse osmosis or dechlorinated water, and avoid handling to protect their skin barrier.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Found across Central America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama) and northern Colombia. In contrast to other species, this frog is frequently observed in cacao plantations, damp gardens, and lowland rainforest edges, demonstrating high adaptability to secondary environments.
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsExtra-Amazon South AmericaCentral America and CaribbeanNorth AmericaEast AsiaTropical oceans and reefsCosmopolitan or introduced
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 4.2 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 4.2 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 4.2 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.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
