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Two poison dart frogs: a blue frog with black spots and a yellow-and-black banded frog.
Photo: Pixeltoo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Poison Dart Frogs

Family Dendrobatidae (about 220 species)

A family of about 220 tiny, brightly colored rainforest frogs whose bold colors warn predators that their skin is poisonous.

🐸 Frogs
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About the Poison Dart Frogs

There are about 220 kinds of poison frogs, all native to warm rainforests of Central and South America. Most are only 1 to 6 cm long. Their bright reds, yellows, greens and blues warn predators that they are poisonous. Poison frog parents carry their tadpoles on their backs to water, such as a pond or the little pool of water inside a bromeliad plant.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Family Dendrobatidae (about 220 species)[1]
Size
0.4 to 2.4 inches (1 to 6 cm) long, depending on the species.[1]
Weight
0.02 to 0.14 ounces (0.5 to 4 g).[1]
Lifespan
8 to 15 years in zoos.[1]
Diet
Mostly ants, termites, centipedes and tiny beetles.[1]
Habitat
Warm rainforests.[1]
Where it lives
Central and South America.[1]
Babies
Parents carry tadpoles on their backs to water, such as a pond or the water inside a bromeliad.[1]

Fun facts

  • The golden poison frog is considered the most poisonous animal in the world.[1]
  • Poison frogs get their poison from the bugs they eat. Zoo-raised frogs lose most of it.[1]
  • The family name Dendrobatidae means "one who walks in the trees."[1]
  • Only one known snake species is immune to poison frog toxins.[1]

Vocabulary

amphibian
A cold-blooded animal, like a frog, that usually starts life in water and later lives on land.
tadpole
A young frog that lives in water and breathes with gills.
toxin
A poison made by a living thing.
warning coloration
Bright colors that tell predators an animal is poisonous or bad-tasting.
bromeliad
A tropical plant whose leaves form a cup that holds water.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Poison Frog.” https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/poison-frog (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Frogs

A yellow Panamanian golden frog with black spots sitting on a green leaf.Panamanian Golden FrogAtelopus zetekiA bright golden, poisonous frog that is Panama's symbol of good luck. It has not been seen in the wild since 2009 and survives in zoo breeding programs.