| Size |
Dry forest males = 35-40 mm; Dry forest females = 45-55 mm.
Wet forest males = 39-48 mm; Wet forest females = 55-63 mm.
Newly metamorphosed froglets = 6 mm. |
| Weight |
Dry forest males = 3-5 g; Dry forest females = 4-7 g.
Wet forest males = 8-12 g; Wet forest females = 10-15 g.
Newly metamorphosed froglets = less than 0.5 g. |
| Conservation Status |
On the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Panamanian golden frog is listed as Critically Endangered. |
| Diet |
The Panamanian golden frog is a visual predator meaning it locates prey by sight. In the wild these frogs prey on a variety of small invertebrates. At the Zoo, the frogs are offered a variety of invertebrates including fruit flies, crickets and small worms. |
| Geographic Range |
It inhabits fast flowing streams in dry forests and wet forests. It is endemic to Panama, meaning that it is found only in that country. |
| Where to find me in the Zoo |
Reptile and Amphibian House |
Note: Description below should include Longevity, Behavior, and Reproduction information
Panamanian golden frogs are part of a group of strikingly-marked amphibians known as Harlequin toads or stub-footed toads, and belong to the true toad family Bufonidae. They are referred to as frogs because the dorsum is smooth and the head is longer than it is wide, a characteristic that is more typical to frogs than toads. Panamanian golden frogs are slender, terrestrial frogs with long limbs. These frogs can’t jump too far; instead, they hop or walk about in a clumsy manner.
Longevity
Nobody is certain how long a Panamanian golden frog lives in the wild; in captivity, they can live up to 5 years or more.
Behavior
These frogs are diurnal, and active during mostly during the morning and early evening, hopping about the forest floor in search of food and mates. Harlequin toads generally live near streams, where the voice calls used by males to attract females and settle territories are often muffled by the sound of fast-flowing water. Male Panamanian golden frogs can be seen waving their hands to each other, literally saying “stop, don’t get any closer, this is my place”. This behavior, known as semaphoring, is believed to have evolved in order to communicate in noisy environments, like streams, and takes advantage of their keen sense of sight.
Reproduction
These frogs can be very prolific in the lab, but fewer and fewer tadpoles are being found in the wild. Males are known to be very persistent, clinging to a female for days, just “waiting” on her back until the moment she is finally fertile. Eggs are laid during periods of reduced stream flow, usually at the onset of the dry season, in wide shallow areas of the stream where the canopy is more open.
The colony of Panamanian golden frogs on exhibit arrived on July 10, 2003 from the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
Enrichment
Adoption Information
Featured Foster Parent