Saturday, September 26, 2015

The individuals of Panama take into account the Panamanian Golden Frog as a symbol of their good fortune. The Panamanian Golden Frog is the national animal of Panama.  The Panamanian Golden Frog is biologically identified as Atelopus zeteki. Although the Panamanian Golden Frog apparently seems like a species of frog but its binomially deemed as a “correct toad” (Bufonidae). The Panamanian golden frog prefers semaphoring over vocalization semaphoring is a hand-wave employed to grab the focus of other frogs. Atelopus zeteki or the Panamanian Golden Frog is listed as critically endangered by IUCN.


The Panamanian Golden Frog

The Panamanian Golden Frog prefers to inhabit in the tropical forest regions, particularly on mountains, close to the water bodies. In the wet tropical forests which are perfect for their development, the male can develop to 48 mm and weigh up to 12 g, and the female can be as large as 63 mm and weigh up to 15 g. Panamanian golden frog population is on the verge of extinction, and the species is listed as critically endangered. Some specialists think the frog to be extinct in the wild.


Atelopus zeteki : Image by Adam Fink

Another wonderful feature of the Panamanian Golden frog is the production of toxins in their skin that make them noxious meals for predators. Panamanian golden frogs are insectivores. They feed on a wide range of modest invertebrates in the forests near their streams. The Panamanian Golden frogs are sexually dimorphic and in the season of mating the females deposit light-sensitive eggs. They hide their egg clutches in dark crevices beneath rocks to stay away from exposing the building eggs to light.

The Panamanian Golden Frog has the fantastic significance in the culture of Panama. A fantastic local myth linked with the Panamanian Golden Frog is of turning of it into gold soon after death. The greatest threat to the population of the Panamanian golden frogs in the wild is habitat loss and other human activities such as illegal collection for the pet trade.

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