Mimic Poison Frog and Reticulated Poison frog Ranitomeya imitator, Ranitomeya reticulata

Management Overview

Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Temperature °C (day 22- ambient) 26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C 22-26°C Temperature °C (night 18 - 18 - 18 - 18 - 18 - 18 - 18 - 18 - 18 - ambient) 22°C 22°C 22°C 22°C 18- 22°C 18- 22°C 22°C 18- 22°C 22°C 22°C 22°C 22°C Basking spot temperature °C (Optional) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Cool spot temperature Ambien Ambie Ambien Ambien Ambien Ambien Ambien Ambien Ambien Ambien Ambien Ambien (day) °C t nt t t t t t t t t t t Photoperiod (No. of 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 hours of light) hours hours hours hours hours hours hours hours hours hours hours hours

UVI 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 0 - 2 75- 75- 75- 75- 75- 75- 75- 75- 75- 75- 75- 75- Humidity %rh 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Breeding introductions Keep as pairs year round 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times 4 times per per per per per per per per per per per per Feed schedule week week week week week week week week week week week week

Habitat This species is endemic to Peru and occurs from 250 – 1200masl, it is an inhabitant of lowland primary forest and montane forest.

Microhabitat This species is mostly arboreal and inhabits epiphytes off of the ground, predominantly bromeliads, where single frogs or pairs inhabit and reproduce within the water stored within the plant. This is a territorial species where only a single male will occupy each plant and will defend it against rival individuals.

Substrates The substrate for this species should firstly consist of a drainage layer of up to 2 – 3 inches of hydroleca or equivalent, this layer prevents the substrate of enclosure from becoming saturated due to frequency of misting, a membrane material should then separate the drainage layer from substrate. A substrate consisting of a soil mixture of coir, peat and mulched tree ferns works well for most dendrobatid species, this layer is required to be a minimum of 3 inches in depth to allow for plants to root into. Invertebrates such as springtails (Collembola sp.) should be introduced to the substrate when establishing the enclosure, this aims to make the enclosure a bio-active environment. Mixed leaf litter should then be used for the final substrate layer.

Water provision & quality This species obtains water primarily through it’s environment and not necessarily via a standard water bowl, as the enclosure will be furnished with live plants including bromeliads which are essential for this species, the water filled vases in which the frogs will occupy are where this species will obtain water to maintain hydration. The enclosure will require misting with water at least twice per day to maintain humidity and to ensure that bromeliad vases contain water. Water used must be dechlorinated (Carbon filtered or RO), room temperature and be free from any chemicals.

Enclosure and Size An enclosure size of 45 x 45 x 45cm is suitable for 2.2 individuals and it must be densely planted with various tropical plants but predominantly with bromeliads, Neoregelia sp. work very well for this species. The correct choice and use of live plants enable this species to reproduce naturally within enclosure. T5 lighting is required to provide UVB and also to maintain sufficient plant growth, only 6% T5 lighting should be used for this species and the dense live plants will dapple the light within enclosure providing light areas and shade. As this is a small species the dense plants provide climbing areas for periods of activity, additional branching may be used but is not necessary. Although this species will spawn on leaves usually within a bromeliad, additional artificial spawning sites such as plastic film canisters can be added to enclosure to provide additional spawning sites if necessary. As males of this species can be territorial behaviour between males housed together must be monitored and they should be separated accordingly or enclosure size increased if territorial behaviour affects the health of either individual. Juvenile frogs that metamorphose within the adult enclosure can be housed within the group but may need removing when reaching maturity.

Diet, feeding schedule & feeding strategy This species feeds on small insects including fruit flies Drosophila hydei and Drosophila melanogastor , tropical springtails Collembola sp. and aphids Acyrthosiphon sp. Foods must be offered three times per week (Mon - Wed – Fri) and dusted with a vitamin and mineral supplement on a minimum of two feeds per week, as the moist/wet environments may lead to supplements washing off feeder insect before frog feeds. The strategy of feeding is to scatter live foods within enclosure, preferably within proximity to the frog, or where the frog is known to inhabit within vivarium (specific plant etc). As this is a diurnal species, feed during daytime hours and they will generally feed continuously and opportunistically throughout the day time.

Reproduction Two of the very few known monogamous species of amphibian, adult pairs occupy a territory of bromeliads in which they reproduce within and use to rear their tadpoles. To aid successful reproduction this species benefits from being maintained in stable conditions continuously, although an increase in misting schedule (three times per day) may encourage an increase in reproductive behaviour. Males call from their chosen territory to begin courtship with a female, up 2-5 large eggs are laid on a leaf within a bromeliad axel which are cared for by both parent frogs, upon hatching the tadpoles are transported individually and placed within a bromeliad vase where they undergo development. The tadpoles feed opportunistically on a mixture of food items, but are also supplementary fed unfertilised food eggs by the parent female. Metamorphosis is completed after approximately 2 – 4 months and the young are then independent.

Sexing There is no distinctive snout to vent size difference between males and females, although females are heavier bodied than males and have a more round/wide body shape. Only male specimens call, and this is usually heard during daytime hours, they also have a more slender appearance.

Incubation Period 10 - 12 days Temperature 20-25°C °C Humidity 90-100% Media and If removed should be maintained on laying site (eg. remove leaf set up containing spawn) and reared within a plastic container with 3mm of water to prevent eggs drying out. Management Signs of fertility should be observed at 3 days, infertile eggs rapidly notes become clouded and white. If artificially reared, when hatching eggs benefit from being partially submerged to aid the tadpoles leaving the eggs.

Rearing There are two methods of rearing larvae. Firstly the larvae may be left within the enclosure to be cared for by parents as they transport them individually to bromeliads within enclosure and provide them with feeder eggs. Secondly eggs can be removed from the enclosure and reared artificially, if this method is chosen tadpoles require individual rearing as they can be cannibalistic; this is due to the usually singular tadpoles occupying phytotelms in the wild leading to high levels of intraspecific competition. Individuals can be housed in plastic pint or half pint cups with some java moss, this must be water changed weekly and fed every 2-3 days with a sinking pellet food as used for tropical fish. Metamorphoses is completed between 2 – 4 months and froglets begin feeding on small invertebrates such as springtails (Collembola sp) once the tail has been fully absorbed. Besides being restricted to small food items, the care regime for the froglets is the same as for adult specimens.

Routine health monitoring schedule Visual Daily inspection Morphometrics Weight taken every six months Sampling Faecal sampling and Chytrid swabbing taken before exports, or when there is cause for concern upon veterinary recommendation.

Other Depending of population and locality, this species displays varying phenotypes as they mimic different species of Dendrobatid frog throughout their range. These phenotypes represent distinct genetic populations (Symula et.al, 2001) of this species and should not be mixed in captivity.

References Symula, R., Schulte, R., and Summers, K. (2001). ''Molecular phylogenetic evidence for a mimetic radiation in Peruvian poison frogs supports a Müllerian mimicry hypothesis.'' Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 268, 2405-2421.