The Complete Oophaga pumilio (Central American Poison Dart Frog, Dendrobatidae) - Biology, Ecology, Captive Husbandry. - Hardcover

There is hardly any frog from Central America that can match the strawberry poison frog Oophaga pumilio, as to its eye-catching effect.
As a result of its conspicuous coloration, combined with small size (1 inch or less, 18 to 24 mm) and relatively large black eyes, this dendrobatid appeals to us as a droll and exotic amphibian at the same time.

This first monograph dealing with the strawberry poison frog covers a huge variety of topics.
Beginning with a description of the natural habitat and the distribution of Oophaga pumilio, several important issues are discussed, including; why do some morphs of this species obviously show an aposematic coloration, whereas others show a cryptic coloration?

In the center of the book the morphs that were genetically clearly defined recently are presented in a table. This overview shows the local distribution, the range of colors and patterns and the maximum size that can be reached, respectively.

This section is illustrated with approximately 200 photos by the late Chris van der Lingen.

The following large chapter then provides information on the captive husbandry requirements of Oophaga pumilio. Frank Steinmann places the focus here on compiling a large variety of materials that can be used to build an attractive tropical terrarium, but he also recommends to consider the impact of using tropical plants.

Feeder animals are also discussed, as well as the technical settings that are required to fulfill the needs of a poison dart frog. The large variety of plants that are available for frog enthusiasts today and which make a terrarium such an attractive display for everyone supplements this book.

A unique book with over 500 color photographs, in 220 pages, hardcover.