The Anthony’s arrow poison frogs that arrived at the Debrecen Zoo last spring seem to be having a great time, as the institution can already report their first successful reproduction. The tadpoles hatched from eggs discovered in early December continued to thrive in the waters of a terrarium shared with their parents, and three of them have already completely transformed into frogs. Due to their size, they feed in a tadpole state with a jumping fork and, since their landing, with an incapacitated muslica. Eye-catching visitors can also see them and their transforming peers in their presentation at the Palm House.
Anthony arrowhead frog (Epipedobates anthonyi), endemic to the ground level of tropical arid forests in the southwestern part of Ecuador and northwestern Peru, is a relatively small arrowhead frog species with a body length of 2-2.5 cm. Like its relatives, in nature, a toxin is deposited on the skin that is presumably obtained from the invertebrates consumed; it draws the attention of predators with its striking coloration. During the mating season, males are territorial; after laying eggs, they guard the eggs and then transport the hatched tadpoles on their backs to the water gathered in woodpeckers or in the middle of bromeliads, where they turn into frogs.
Due to habitat degradation and illegal commercial catches, the species is listed on the Red List of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and is listed in Annex II of the Washington Convention (CITES). also in the Annex. It is a real rarity among Hungarian zoos, as the general public can only meet it in Debrecen.
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