{"id":192,"date":"2018-04-06T15:03:32","date_gmt":"2018-04-06T15:03:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.frogpets.com\/?p=192"},"modified":"2022-08-28T00:43:24","modified_gmt":"2022-08-28T00:43:24","slug":"worlds-deadliest-frogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.frogpets.com\/worlds-deadliest-frogs\/","title":{"rendered":"The Deadliest Frogs in the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With over 170 species of poison dart frogs, also known as Dendrobatoidae<\/em><\/strong>, it’s fascinating to question which of these is the deadliest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dendrobatoidae<\/em> family has 7 Genus; only one of which has been documented as being used to make poisonous darts or arrows. That Genus is known as Phyllobates and it contains 6 species of frogs, all of which are native to South America.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we will uncover some fascinating facts about Phyllobates<\/em>, the most poisonous genus of frogs on earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what makes them so deadly? How was the poison extracted and which of the six species is the most potent? I’ll answer those questions and more in the paragraphs below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Poison Dart Frogs are Deadly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before I reveal the deadliest frog, it’s important to understand why some frogs are poisonous in the first place. It essentially comes down to their genetic make-up and the food they eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies suggest poison dart frogs do not synthesize their own poisons but, instead, metabolize harmful toxins from alkaloid-containing food sources. Arthropod’s like centipedes, mites, and ants are what make these frogs poisonous. This is known as the diet-toxicity hypothesis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study by Ralph Saporito<\/a> revealed not just mature frogs are poisonous, their tadpoles are too. Mothers place alkaloids in unfertilized eggs which are fed to the tadpoles. The toxins are absorbed, resulting in deadly poison-dart tadpoles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this information in mind, keeping poison-dart frogs in captivity is common practice among frog enthusiasts worldwide. Captive-bred dart frogs<\/a> are considered harmless<\/strong> because they don’t have access to food containing alkaloids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Poison
Illustration credit: shanesabindesign \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It’s also important to understand the difference between poison and venom. These terms are used interchangeably but they’re not the same thing. Venom is a harmful toxin which is injected into the body. Snakes are best described as venomous because they inject toxins with their fangs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poison is ingested or absorbed through the skin<\/strong>. Hence the reason poison-dart frogs are considered poisonous. Predators misfortunate enough to consume these deadly frogs will fall victim to a number of horrific side-effects. Even touching or picking up a wild Phyllobate can be fatal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poisonous Darts & Arrows<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The reason behind their name is largely due to the Ember\u00e1 tribe of South America. Natives collected poisons from the Phyllobates species to coat their darts and arrows. The arrows were then used for hunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ember\u00e1 Choc\u00f3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The process in which the poisons are obtained is quite unsettling, to say the least. Once caught, the Ember\u00e1 would carefully store the frogs in hollow cane poles. When they needed the poison, a sharp stick was pierced through the frog’s throat and out the hind end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The natives did this to agitate the poison-dart frogs, causing them to sweat out the poisons from their backs. The poison is best described as a frothy, white substance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the natives obtained the deadly poison, they simply dipped their darts in it. The now poisonous darts (or arrows) would remain lethal for up to a year and the reason the darts are so deadly is that Phyllobates produce an alkaloid toxin called Batrachotoxin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batrachotoxin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Batrachotoxin\"
Chemical structure of batrachotoxin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Batrachotoxin is a remarkably potent neurotoxic & cardiotoxic alkaloid found a few birds, the melyrid beetle and, of course, the poison-dart frogs of the Phyllobates Genus. Batrachotoxin causes paralysis and death by blocking the transmission of nerve signals to muscles. Currently, there is no effective antidote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related:<\/p>\n\n\n\n