Golfo Dulce (Poisonous Frog) | endemiccostarica

Golfo Dulce - Phyllobates vittatus

The Golfo Dulce's precense is believed to be most prominent in the area of southwestern Costa Rica. These frogs inhabit areas of wet, forested lowlands and areas by steams and rivers covered with degrading leaves.
- These poisonous frogs measure only 25 to 30mm in length. They are ridden with a black head containing yellow stripes running from either side of Golfo Dulce's snout. Their limbs are normally blue-green, covered with black speckling.
  - The two yellow stripes that may also appear golden, fire orange, or green or the most distinctive features of this species.

The female normally lays 10-25 eggs up to twice per week when she is mature. The male takes care of the offspring, by carrying them around 20 days after they hatch, on his back. On his back, the offspring are trasnported to a body of water where they complete the stages of metaporphosis to become small frogs in a couple months.

Hence classified as a poisonous frog, the Golfo Dulce or Golfodulcean contain a extremely potent heurotoxic poison in their skin. While is isn't the most toxic species of the genus of poison dart forgs, the poison is known to cause severe pain, and even small paralysis if the dose of poison is great enough.
- In captivity, the poison isn't strong, if existant at all, suggesting that the poison is transferred from insects or other invertabrates this species consumes
One victim explained that the poison leads to, ""lingering, almost numb sensation on the tongue, followed by a disagreeable tightening sensation in the throat." We're pretty sure that's just the beginning."