Jeff Bezos dart frog (Phyllobates bezosi) and Cristian Samper dart frog (Phyllobates samperi)

NEWS - The true poison dart frogs (Phyllobates, Dendrobatidae) consist of five species whose systematics seem clear at first glance, but new research has established two new species, the Cristian Samper dart frog (Phyllobates samperi) and Jeff Bezos dart frog (Phyllobates bezosi).

P. samperi is a small to medium-sized dendrobatid with an adult SVL of 21–27 mm (24.5 ± 1.6 mm, mean ± SD, n = 17). It is mostly jet black with a narrow golden yellow or orange dorsolateral stripe that extends from the snout, along the outer edge of the upper eyelid to the back near the base of the thigh.

This diurnal species inhabits the understory of humid tropical forests in southwestern Colombia and thrives in moderately disturbed forests. Adults are found primarily in leaf litter, fallen tree trunks, roots, large leaves and other objects that provide shelter and possibly food.

The male carries the tadpoles on its back and deposits them in phytotelmata on the ground, such as fallen palm fronds or leaf sheaths or in semi-permanent puddles formed by rainwater on the forest floor.

The species has a potential distribution range not exceeding 20,000 km2. It is currently known from seven sites, all enclosed within a ~1000 km2 polygon where deforestation for agriculture, the urban expansion of Buenaventura and gold mining operations will inevitably reduce the amount and quality of habitat.

The researchers propose P. samperi as Vulnerable (VU) under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The species is named in honor of Colombian biologist Cristian Samper, for his lasting impact on conservation science and environmental management.

P. bezosi is a medium-sized dendrobatid with an adult SVL of 31–36 mm (33.6 ± 1.7 mm, mean ± SD, n = 9). The dorsal coloration is mostly orange to yellow with a black band or spot on the middle of the back, usually incomplete and indistinct, more often near the urostyle or between the eyes.

During the laboratory, a male carried nine tadpoles on his back. After placing them in another container of water, the tadpoles were found to be free within 24 hours. They were kept in a 25 × 20 × 20 cm aquarium with algae, aquatic plants and supplemented with fish food.

The species is known from the type site in the Garrapatas River, an area that has experienced increasing violence over the last decade, mostly related to illegal gold mining and drug trafficking. Access to the area is restricted by illegal armed groups who also restrict the movement of local residents.

The researchers proposed Endangered (EN) under the IUCN Red List criteria (IUCN 2012). The species is named in honor of Jeff Bezos for his contributions to environmental conservation, in particular through the Bezos Earth Fund to combat climate change and conserve nature by funding scientists, NGOs, and other local communities for environmental action.

Original research

Amézquita A, Vargas-Salinas F, Ramos I, Palacios-Rodríguez P, Salazar EN, Quiroz M, Bolívar W, Galindo-Uribe DM, Mazariegos-H LA (2024). Molecular phylogenetics uncovers two new species in the genus Phyllobates (Anura, Dendrobatidae): the terrible frog gets two new sisters. ZooKeys 1212: 217-240, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1212.126733

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