Mantella baroni, commonly known as Baron's mantella, variegated golden frog or Madagascar poison frog, is a species of frog in the family
Mantellidae. It is native to Madagascar and is seen here in
Ranomafana National Park in the southeastern part of the country. The species was
described in 1888 by
George Albert Boulenger, who named it after its collector,
Richard Baron. It has been classified as a
least-concern species by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature due to its relatively wide distribution, but is threatened by habitat loss. The frog's diet includes
mites, which cause it to accumulate a high
alkaloid concentration in its skin, making it toxic. The bright colours may serve as a warning sign to potential predators of the frog's toxicity.Photograph credit:
Charles J. Sharp
Mantella baroni, commonly known as Baron's mantella, variegated golden frog or Madagascar poison frog, is a species of frog in the family
Mantellidae. It is native to Madagascar and is seen here in
Ranomafana National Park in the southeastern part of the country. The species was
described in 1888 by
George Albert Boulenger, who named it after its collector,
Richard Baron. It has been classified as a
least-concern species by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature due to its relatively wide distribution, but is threatened by habitat loss. The frog's diet includes
mites, which cause it to accumulate a high
alkaloid concentration in its skin, making it toxic. The bright colours may serve as a warning sign to potential predators of the frog's toxicity.Photograph credit:
Charles J. Sharp