Golden Poison Frog

The golden poison frog, also known as the golden frog, golden poison arrow frog or golden dart frog 
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(Phyllobates terribilis), is a poison dart frog endemic to the Pacific coast of Colombia. The optimal habitat of P. terribilis is the rainforest with high rain rates (5 m or more per year), altitudes between 100 and 200 m, temperatures of at least 26°C, and relative humidity of 80–90%. In the wild, P. terribilis is a social animal, living in groups of up to six individuals; however, captive P. terribilis specimens can live in much larger groups. Terribilis frogs are often considered innocuous due to their small size and bright colours, but wild frogs are lethally toxic, and may be the most poisonous of any living animal.
==Characteristics==
===Poison===
The golden poison frog's skin is densely coated in alkaloid poison, one of a number of poisons common to dart frogs (batrachotoxins), which prevents nerves from transmitting impulses, leaving the muscles in an inactive state of contraction. This can lead to heart failure or fibrillation. Some native people use this poison to hunt by coating darts with the frog's poison. Alkaloid batrachotoxins can be stored by frogs for years after the frog is deprived of a food-based source, and such toxins do not readily deteriorate, even when transferred to another surface.
The golden poison frog is not venomous, but poisonous: venomous animals have a delivery method for the toxin, such as fangs or spines, while poisonous animals and plants do not have a delivery method and rely on transference of the toxin. Like most poison dart frogs, P. terribilis uses poison only as a self-defense mechanism and not for killing prey. The most venomous animal is the sea wasp jellyfish, which is slightly less toxic than P. terribilis.
===Color===
====Yellow====
The yellow morph is the reason it has the common name golden poison dart frog. These frogs can be pale yellow to deep, golden yellow in colour. A frog sold under the name "gold terribilis" was once believed to be a deeper yellow P. terribilis.
====Orange====
While not as common as the other two morphs, orange examples of P. terribilis exist in Colombia, as well. They tend to be a metallic orange or yellow-orange in colour, with varying intensity.
Category:Dangerous Animals
Category:Animals
Category:Frogs