Golden mantella

The golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) is a small, terrestrial frog endemic to Madagascar. It has an extremely restricted distribution in three distinct areas centered on the town of Moramanga - Beparasy and Ambohibary Communes, Torotorofotsy Wetland northwest of Andasibe, and in the area of Ambakoana.[1] Mantella aurantiaca is one of Madagascar's most threatened amphibian species due to its limited distribution in an area under tremendous anthropogenic pressure. It may also be threatened by over-collection for the pet trade.[2]

Golden mantella
Golden form
Red form
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Mantellidae
Genus: Mantella
Species:
M. aurantiaca
Binomial name
Mantella aurantiaca
Mocquard, 1900
Distribution of the golden mantella in Madagascar

Description

The golden mantella is a uniformly yellow, orange, or red frog measuring 20–26 mm.[3] The inner leg displays red flash marks. The tympanum is visible, but small. Brightly colored skin warns predators that the frog is poisonous.[4] It is thought that the brilliant colors exhibited by the golden mantella are an example of aposematism, warning predators of the poisonous nature of the frog.

Ecology and behaviour

The golden mantella is highly seasonal in its behaviour and remains largely inactive during the winter months of May–October. When the rains arrive and the temperature warms, frogs emerge from hiding and use small lentic wetlands for breeding.[1] Males often call from concealed positions near a water source. The call is a rather pleasant, repeated click. The frogs do not seem to engage in typical amplexus but rather the male only moves himself over the female's back in virtual amplexus.[5] Eggs are laid on land in moist leaf litter near water and when rains arrive the tadpoles are washed from land into water.[6]

The golden mantella has a diet of small invertebrates.[4] In the wild, this mainly consists of mites, ants, flies, and collembolans.[7] The frogs derive their skin toxins from their diet. These toxins include pumiliotoxin, allopumiliotoxin, homopumiliotoxin alkaloids, pyrrolizidines, indolizidines and quinolizidines.[6] Although poisonous, the snake Thamnosophis lateralis and a skink of the genus Zonosaurus have been observed preying upon this species at Torotorofotsy Wetland.[8]

In captivity

There are plans to launch a legal regulated collection program for this species.[9]

The golden mantella is occasionally seen in the pet trade and kept in captivity by exotic animal collectors and zoological institutions. They are popular due to their diurnal activity, attractive coloration and relative ease to keep when settled in. Care sheets are easily found for this species.

Taxonomy

Etymology

The species was described by the French herpetologist François Mocquard in 1900 on the basis of one a male individual 21.2 mm long. The type species was found in forests in the area between Beforana and Moramanga. The species name comes from the Latin aurantiacus meaning gold. There is a name for an unrecognized taxon M. a. rubra, which was recognized as a synonym for the golden mantel,[3] comes from the Latin rubra, red.

References
  1. Randrianavelona, Roma; Randrianantoandro, J. C.; Rabibisoa, N.; Randrianasolo, H.; Rabesihanaka, S.; Randriamahaleo, S.; Jenkins, R. K. B. (2010). "Stratégie de Conservation de l'Espèce Mantella aurantiaca (grenouille dorée) 2011–2015" [Species Conservation Strategy for Mantella aurantiaca (The Golden Mantella Frog), 2011–2015] (PDF) (in French). Retrieved 29 September 2013. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "Amphibian Ark: Mantella aurantiaca". amphibianark.org. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  3. Walker, Craig; Gibson, Richard; Edmonds, Devin (February 2005). "AArk Ex Situ Management Guidelines: Mantella aurantiaca" (PDF). Amphibian Ark. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  4. "Golden Mantella". Archived from the original on 2006-05-14. Retrieved 2006-06-04.
  5. "Arkive: Golden Frog (Mantella aurantiaca)". Archived from the original on 2013-10-03. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  6. Vences, Miguel. "AmphibiaWeb - Mantella aurantiaca". Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  7. Woodhead, Cindy; Vences, Miguel; Vieites, David R.; Gamboni, Ilona; Fisher, Brian L.; Griffiths, Richard A. (2007). "Specialist or generalist? Feeding ecology of the Malagasy poison frog Mantella aurantiaca". The Herpetological Journal. pp. 225–236. ISSN 0268-0130. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  8. Jovanovic, Olga; Vences, Miguel; Safarek, Goran; Rabemananjara, Falitiana C. E.; Dolch, Rainer (2009). "Predation upon Mantella aurantiaca in the Torotorofotsy wetlands, central-eastern Madagascar". Herpetology Notes. 2: 95–97. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  9. Vences, M. and C. Raxworthy. 2004. Mantella aurantiaca. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. Downloaded on 10 June 2013.
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