Ameerega

Ameerega is a genus of poison dart frogs in the family Dendrobatidae. Native to tropical South America, members of this genus occur from the Amazon basin to Andean foothills, typically in humid forest habitats and often using leaf litter or bromeliads as microhabitats. The taxonomy of poison-dart frogs has undergone revisions, and Ameerega is one of several genera recognized within Dendrobatidae.

These frogs are small to medium in size, with adults usually measuring about 1.5 to 3 centimeters in snout-vent length. They are renowned for their vivid, contrasting coloration, which varies by species and often includes combinations of red, orange, yellow, blue, and black. This striking pattern serves as an aposematic warning to predators that they possess alkaloid toxins obtained from their diet of ants, mites, and other arthropods.

Ameerega species are primarily terrestrial or semi-arboreal and are typically observed on the forest floor or in low vegetation. They are diurnal and rely on the humid microhabitats of tropical forests. Reproduction is tied to the rainy season in many areas: males call to attract females and establish breeding sites. Eggs are laid on moist substrates such as leaf litter or in phytotelmata like bromeliads, and are guarded by one parent.

After hatching, tadpoles are transported to aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats by the adult, often traveling to standing pools or phytotelmata. Many species exhibit parental care, a hallmark of dendrobatids. Conservation concerns for Ameerega center on habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as collection pressures from the pet trade.