Most Poisonous Animals : Poison Arrow Frog & Salamander

The poison arrow frog is the most venomous animal in the world. There are over 160 species of poison arrow frogs better known as poison dart frogs. The poison arrow frog is from the family of dendrobatidae amphibians. These cold blooded amphibians normally breathe through their gills when they are young tadpoles and use their lungs for breathing as they mature into an adult. Poison arrow frogs normally live on land. This particular poisonous amphibian species are relatives of frogs, toads and salamanders.

Dart frogs are small and tiny, measuring only 1–5 cm in length, but are very striking, vividly colored in combinations of black with bright yellow, pink, green, orange, red, and blue. The female poison arrow frog usually lays about 46 eggs. The young ones are known as tadpoles. The poison arrow frog has a life span of 13 to 15 years. Their distinct colors and markings distinguish them from other non- poisonous frogs. These poisonous varieties of the dendrobatidae family live prefer rainforest regions which are wet, warm and dark. They are found in the rain forests of South and Central America. There are about 160 species of the poison arrow frogs. These dart frogs are the most poisonous animals in the world.

‘Phyllobates bicolor’, a poison dart frog is highly toxic in nature, the skin of this species have less ‘batrachotoxin’ than the related golden poison frog ‘P. terribilis’. Batrachotoxin is an alkaloid which is secreted from skin glands and proves deadly to other small animals. It obstructs the neuromuscular transmission, leading to muscle and respiratory paralysis and eventual death. Among the most poisonous and strikingly beautiful varieties of poison dart frog are ‘Dendrobates tinctorius’, the blue poison dart frog i.e. ‘Dendrobates azureus’ and the strawberry poison dart frogs ‘Dendrobates pumilio’. These remarkable species are all natives to tropical rain forests of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.

Salamanders are another poisonous amphibian species. These relatives of dart frogs are normally nocturnal in nature; they are short-bodied and about 4 to 6 inches in length. Salamanders are brightly colored having a tail. They have two pairs of limbs. They have wet, slimy skin and teeth which are placed on the jaws and roof of the mouth. The biggest species are 5 feet long, the Chinese giant salamander known as ‘Andrias davidianus’. Salamanders eat bugs, worms, snails, and other small insects, as well as members of their own species. They are most fascinating.

Salamanders are elusive animals that look like lizards. Salamanders display a wide range of diverse lifestyles. Some live all of their lives on soil, whereas others live completely in water, and there are some who live partly in water and partly on land. Not all salamanders are venomous. Some salamanders do have poison-secreting glands in their bodies. The poison-producing ones are normally brightly colored with prominent markings. This cautions predators to stay clear from them. There are about 380 different species of salamanders belonging to 10 different breeds. Places where salamanders are found in plentiful, human beings are often unaware of their existence because they are usually inactive during the day and are practically silent. Due to its mysterious nature, salamanders are the subject of several mythologies and legends.