| Discovery |
Dumeril, A.M.C. A, G. Bibren (1841): Herpetologie générale ou histoire naturelle complčte des reptiles. Vol. 8. Paris: 792 pp. Type locality: 'Cuba', in error for Colombia.
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| Type locality |
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| Holotype |
Museum Natural d'histoire naturelle in Paris. Holotype: MNHN 838 collected by De la Sagra
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| Etymology |
bi (L.)= two, color (L.)= colour; referring to the colour pattern of this species, yellow body with green limbs.
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| Classification |
Ph.bicolor is the type-species of the genus Phyllobates.
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| Synonymy |
Dutch name: tweekleurige (pijl)gifkikker
German name: Zweifarbiger Blattsteiger
English name: Two colored Neari [Choco Poison-frog in Colombia: Indians] / Black-Legged Poison Frog
Phyllobates melanorhinus Phyllobates melanorrhinus Phyllobates chocoensis Phyllobates nicefori
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| History |
A.M.C. Dumeril and G. Bibron, two French herpetologists, described Phyllobates bicolor in the eighth part of their famous work Erpetologie génerale ou 'histoire naturelle complete des reptiles'. The material the used to describe was collected by Sagra, according to Dumeril A. Bibron on Cuba. But Sagra, collected on Cuba as well as on the South-American main land, like Mexico and Colombia. During the shipment of the samples to Paris, there must have been a mix up (see Barbour E. Runsden, 1919: 77 and 113). They assumed Ph.bicolor to be from Mexico. On Cuba and in Mexico this frog is not known. According to Silverstone (1976: 23-24) Ph.bicolor looks like a species found in Colombia and since Sagra has been collecting here as well, the holotype must be from Colombia.
Phyllobates chocoensis Posada, 1869 locality: Choco, has been assumed to be synonym of Dendrobates histrionicus for years, but Silverstone (1976: 23) showed Ph.chocoensis, based on his call, colour pattern and morphology, to be synonym of Ph.bicolor. Posada (1869) mentioned the use of Ph.chocoensis by the local Indians to extract skin poison for their darts. The Choco Indians still use Ph. bicolor, who they call Neari, to extract skin poison and never the also present D.histrionicus. This proofs Silverstone's thesis that Ph.chocoensis is a synonym of Ph.bicolor. Phyllobates melanorrhinus (Berthold, 1845) (with black nose) and Phyllobates nicefori (Noble, 1923) are synonymy of Ph. bicolor as well. Ph.bicolor is the type species of the genus Phyllobates. This genus has been brought back to the species of the Ph. bicolor-group by Myers and his associates (1978: 332) and Myers (1987: 301). Only these frogs have the skin toxin batrachotoxin, besides some other kinds of toxin.
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| Physical description |
Ph.bicolor is a species of the genus Phyllobates and has those characteristics: batrachotoxin in the skin, toes without webbings and dorsolateral stripes on the body, when present. Ph.bicolor only has these dorsolateral stripes on juvenile animals. The stripes disappear when they grow older, just like Ph.terribilis, underneath the yellow, orange yellow or orange red that is seen from head to the whole of the body. The belly is, depending on the population, black, orange or golden coloured. The iris is black or red-brown. Sometimes the tympanum (ear) is black just like the point of the snout. The upper side of the upper arm and thigh are yellow or golden coloured as well. Fore arm, shin and hind side of the thighs are often green and black marbled. He differs from Ph. terribilis by having a completely smooth skin. Premaxillaire teeth are present. The first finger is slightly longer then the second. Ph.bicolor is somewhat bigger then most other species of this genus. The males up to 39 mm and the females up to 42 mm.
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| Distribution |
As has been mentioned under the section history the locations Cuba and Mexico are incorrect. The material in the museum from Serrania de Baudo in Choco, Medellín and the Andes in Colombia seem to be a mistake in locality labelling. According to Silverstone (1976: 24) Ph.bicolor is only found in the hills in the upper Rio Atnrto and Rio San Juan drainage, of the Rio Raposo, of the Serrania de Baudo, from both sides of the Cordillera Occidertal and of the western slope and a central valley of the de Cordillera Central in Colombia. The highest location is the river basin of the Rio Sipi at 1525 m elevation. Other certain locations are lower to 25 m elevation.
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| Biotope |
Some data on the natural biotope of Ph. bicolor can be found in an article by Reinhard Richter and Stefan Lotters in TI Magazine nr 131 (pp. 4548). They found the frogs near La Italia, province of Choco in the bushes along 5-10 meter wide streams, where the larvae are left as well. Mainly of the specimens they found lived only on low hills, where others were found on steep slopes. This might have to do with adaptation to the huge amounts of precipitation, annual up to 10 m per year! Small creeks change fast to raging rivers, that drag anything along, most certainly also the little frogs. The humidity is very high in these biotopes and almost all of the time close to 100%. Temperatures very of course depending on altitude.
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| Care and breeding |
This species can be kept in a so-called rainforest vivarium: moist absorbing material and some pieces of wood or oak and plants like bromeliads etc. High humidity is necessary, so spray on a regular basis. The optimal temperature is about 24-25°C. A vivarium of ca. 50 x 50 x 50 cm is enough for a small breeding group. They eat a lot and a varying menu of small insects like springtails, small crickets, fruit flies, waxmoths and their larvae, etc is appreciated. During the mating season the males will be heard by their call, a high pitched continues whistle. The 10-20 eggs are placed in hollows and hatch after about two weeks. Metamorphosis takes 40-50 days. The young animals need a lot of food and mature in about one and a half year.
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| Foto's |
The foto published here with the kind permission of © Tracy Hicks
The foto published here with the kind permission of © Darryl Le Grange
foto's published here with the kind permission of www.kwekerijrana.nl
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