''Adelphobates'' is a small genus of
poison dart frogs. They are found in the central and lower
Amazon basin
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributary, tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries ...
of Peru and Brazil, possibly Bolivia.
It was originally erected as a
sister group
In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree.
Definition
The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram:
Taxon A and ...
to the ''
Dendrobates'' and ''
Oophaga'' genera.
The validity of the genus is still being discussed, with the alternative being "''Dendrobates galactonotus'' group" within ''
Dendrobates''.
[ One species originally placed in this genus as '' Adelphobates captivus'' has since been moved to the genus '' Excidobates'' erected in 2008.
]
Etymology
''Adelphobates'' is from the Ancient Greek, ''adelphos'' (brother or twin) and ''bates'' (walker or climber)."Brothers" refers to Charles W. Myers and John W. Daly, two unrelated scientists directly involved with studies of the species.
Biology
All members have conspicuous, vibrant coloration, and smooth skin.tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog (also spelled pollywog) is the Larva, larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully Aquatic animal, aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial animal, ...
s are transported to Brazil nut capsules lying on the forest floor. Cannibalism may result if more than one tadpole ends up in the same capsule.
Poison
All poison frogs are toxic and noxious. Like frogs of the genus Dendrobates, Adelphobates contain Pumiliotoxin 251D, which is hydroxylated to Allopumiliotoxin 267A, which is 5 times more toxic. The median lethal dose is 200 μg/kg and 40 μg/kg respectively.
Species
There are three species:
References
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q138042
Poison dart frogs
Frogs of Brazil
Amphibian genera