Even if you know little about the rainforest or even wildlife in general, you’re probably at least familiar with the famously bright-colored poison dart frogs. Maybe you even had a few plastic toy ones as a child. But vibrant frogs extend beyond poison dart frogs into species and colors that most of us haven’t even imagined. Today, we’ll be jumping into the magical land of brightly colored frogs.
Here’s our list of the world’s most colorful frogs:
1. Common Reed Frog
- Latin name: Hyperolius viridiflavus
- Habitat: Mostly subtropical and tropical parts of Africa
- Size: About 1 inch long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Some of these brilliant frogs have crimson legs and feet. Their bodies are mostly black and marked with yellow, and their legs are dotted with yellow-outlined black spots. However, they are highly variable in coloration.
The common reed frog is a bit different from most frog species in that females are usually more brightly colored than males. Males are very territorial and also engage in physical fights over females.
2. Green and Black Poison Dart Frog
- Latin name: Dendrobates auratus
- Habitat: Forested areas of Central America and parts of South America
- Size: Males are about 0.75 inches long, but females are about 1 inch long
- Diet: Mites and other insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs usually have a swirled pattern of black and mint green. However, like many frogs on the list, their patterning is variable. The green and black poison dart frog is sometimes mottled with blue, yellow, forest green, or lime green.
These dart frogs are not the most poisonous species, but they still shouldn’t be handled by amateurs. Each individual frog carries enough poison to shut down a human heart. However, like most poisonous frogs, they do not exude poison all the time. They only release it when they start to feel threatened, so they will usually tolerate being handled by a calm and gentle person.
3. Red-Eyed Tree Frog
- Latin name: Agalychnis callidryas
- Habitat: Neotropical rainforests in Mexico, Central America, and Colombia
- Size: Males are about 2 inches long, while females are about 3 inches
- Diet: Different types of insects, although they sometimes eat smaller
frogs as well - Colorful feature: These frogs have very bright bodies; they are green with blue sides, and their legs have patches of blue and yellow. Their feet are orange, and their eyes are bright red.
Red may seem like an unusual color for the eyes of an animal, but the eyes of the red-eyed tree frog do seem to serve a purpose. If a predator comes up on one of these animals, the frog will often open its eyes and stare. Since red is often a color in nature that signals danger, the predator may become startled and pause. That can give the tree frog time to flee. Not surprisingly, these frogs can be found in the pet trade thanks to their brilliant colors.
4. Blue Poison Dart Frog
- Latin name: Dendrobates tinctorius “azureus”
- Habitat: Highland areas of the Guiana Shield and Venezuela
- Size: Up to about 2 inches long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: This beautiful frog has a distinctive pattern of various shades of blue. Much of its body is a pale, sky-like blue with darker blue spots. Its legs are a similar dark blue. Its colors, along with its somewhat angular body, make it look almost like a small sculpture.
This stunning frog is a morph (or possibly a subspecies) of the dyeing poison dart frog. Like many toxic frogs, this one has a bright color that serves a purpose. If an animal does eat one, they’re likely to associate the sick feeling it gets with the frog’s bright color. In the future, the animal will be more likely to leave other similarly-colored frogs alone.
5. Blessed Poison Frog
- Latin name: Ranitomeya benedicta
- Habitat: Lowland rainforests in Peru
- Size: Males are a bit over 0.5 inches long, while females are up to 0.8 inches
- Diet: Different types of insects
- Colorful feature: In these frogs, the head is bright red, while the lower body is a relatively light blue with darker spots.
To some, the blessed poison dart frog might be considered a new species. Until fairly recently, it was considered to be a subspecies of Ranitomeya fantastica, another species of poison dart frog. However, Ranitomeya fantastica often has a bright orange head, while the blessed poison dart frog’s head is always red.
6. Three-Striped Poison Frog
- Latin name: Ameerega trivittata
- Habitat: Lowland forest floors and some marshes in parts of South America
- Size: Up to 2 inches long or more
- Diet: Primarily ants found on the forest floor
- Colorful feature: These frogs are typically black with bright green-yellow stripes. Their back legs are often partially green-yellow. However, in some individuals, the stripes may be yellow or orange instead of greenish yellow.
Unlike many arboreal species, the three-striped poison frog lives on the forest floor. The males guard the eggs after they are laid, and once they hatch, he carries the small tadpoles to water so they can develop.
7. Ecuador Poison Frog
- Latin name: Ameerega bilinguis
- Habitat: Subtropical and tropical forests and marshes in Colombia, Ecuador, and nearby areas
- Size: About 1 inch long
- Diet: Different types of insects
- Colorful feature: These colorful frogs have mottled blue and black sides. Their backs are a bright red color that serves as a warning to predators, and they also feature a few bright yellow spots.
Just like almost all other poisonous frogs, the Ecuador poison frog has bright and memorable colors. In some photographs, you may see adult frogs with small, slimy-looking dots on their backs. These are their tadpoles. Once the eggs hatch, adult frogs carry the tadpoles to ponds to allow them to develop into adult frogs.
8. Citronella Dyeing Poison Dart Frog
- Latin name: Dendrobates tinctorius “Citronella”
- Habitat: Highland rain forests in the eastern part of Venezuela and the Guiana Shield
- Size: From about 1.4 inches to about 2.8 inches
- Diet: Various types of rainforest insects
- Colorful feature: This particular morph has extremely bright coloration; it has a primarily black or dark blue body with a splash of yellow across the back and extending partially down the sides.
This frog is another morph or subspecies of the dyeing poison dart frog. Even though it’s toxic, it still can be found in the pet trade thanks to its brilliant coloration. Its exact toxicity varies from frog to frog, so if you do have one as a pet, it’s a good idea to avoid handling it.
9. Lemur Leaf Frog
- Latin name: Agalychnis lemur
- Habitat: Mid-elevation tropical rainforests in Panama, Costa Rica, and parts of Colombia
- Size: Females are up to about 1.8 inches, while males are up to about 1.4 inches
- Diet: Mostly a very wide range of insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs aren’t quite as bright as the red-eyed tree frog, but they have very bright green bodies and orange feet. At night, they are able to change their color to brown to camouflage as needed.
Not all of the world’s colorful frogs are poison dart frogs; some of the tree frogs in the forest can be just as magnificent. This one is critically endangered. Part of its population decline is due to habitat loss, but another part of it is due to a fungal disease that it’s particularly susceptible to.
10. Yellow-Banded Poison Dart Frog
- Latin name: Dendrobates leucomelas
- Habitat: Tropical rainforests in parts of South America
- Size: Usually between 1.2-2 inches long
- Diet: Different types of arthropods
- Colorful feature: This frog is sometimes called the bumblebee dart frog, and it’s easy to see why. Its base color is vibrant yellow, and its body is ringed by a few irregular black bands. It also has several black spots between the bands.
As the name suggests, these frogs produce and release toxins. Most experts believe that these toxins are somehow taken from the arthropods (mostly insects and spiders) that the frogs eat, although they aren’t sure exactly which ones help produce the toxins. Interestingly enough, these dart frogs are also fairly loud, and they are capable of making trilling calls that sound like bird calls.
11. Vietnamese Mossy Frog
- Latin name: Theloderma corticale
- Habitat: Forested areas of China and northern Vietnam
- Size: About 2.4 inches long on average
- Diet: Different types of insects
- Colorful feature: These little frogs have bodies that are a mottled pattern of green and brown. On some individuals, the green is very bright.
These interesting little frogs might not be the most brilliantly colored on the list, but their mossy mix of green and brown is nonetheless intriguing. Their highly textured bodies let them blend in with the moss on logs and branches. But if a human or predator happens to startle them, they have an interesting reaction; they will usually curl up into a ball and play dead.
12. Sira Poison Frog
- Latin name: Ranitomeya sirensis
- Habitat: Amazon rainforests in parts of Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru
- Size: Less than 1 inch in length
- Diet: Different types of insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs are usually a pale orange on the upper body and a pale blue on the legs. Throughout the body, they also are mottled in black.
This rare and beautiful frog is sometimes kept as a pet, although usually only by expert herpetoculturists. Compared to other dart frogs, it is not especially toxic, but it’s still important to handle it carefully. Its poison isn’t fatal, but it can cause pain and spasms.
13. Wallace’s Flying Frog
- Latin name: Rhacophorus nigropalmatus
- Habitat: Rainforests from the Malay Peninsula to parts of Indonesia
- Size: About 3-4 inches long
- Diet: Mostly insects, although they sometimes eat toads and even smaller birds
- Colorful feature: These frogs are mostly a shiny green in color, although their toes have some bright yellow coloring. Their bellies are white to yellow, and they have a couple of jet black spots.
This odd-looking frog has an especially efficient means of traveling between trees; it “flies” using its large, webbed feet. It can sometimes glide up to 50 feet! Its bright colors and gliding ability have made it a favorite among wildlife photographers.
14. Saffron-Bellied Frog
- Latin name: Chaperina fusca
- Habitat: Forested areas of Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and the Philippines
- Size: Males are less than 1 inch long, while females can grow to just over 1 inch in length
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: When viewed from above, these frogs are very plain looking. They are black and often have a few very pale, light spots. However, they have extraordinarily bright yellow bellies.
True to the name, the saffron-bellied frog has a bright yellow belly. In some individuals, the bright yellow coloration appears to climb partially up the belly and onto the sides. Though they’re fairly common in their native range, they can sometimes be difficult to spot; they typically only become very active immediately after it rains, when they come out to forage on the forest floor. However, when they need to, they can climb very quickly.
15. Red-Backed Poison Frog
- Latin name: Ranitomeya reticulata
- Habitat: Rainforests of South America
- Size: Less than an inch long
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs have a black and blue mesh pattern on the lower body. As their name suggests, their backs are a bright, fiery red.
These frogs are tiny; they are part of a species grouping of dart frogs called the “thumbnail” group. But be careful; they are highly toxic to humans and can kill some smaller animals if ingested. Like most other dart frogs, they obtain the toxins they use as a defense mechanism from the insects they eat. Though they are difficult to keep, they are sometimes raised by experienced keepers of dart frogs.
16. Grainy Cochran Frog
- Latin name: Cochranella granulosa
- Habitat: Both mountain and lowland forests in Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
- Size: Up to 1.25 inches long
- Diet: Different types of insects
- Colorful feature: These distinctive frogs have translucent, glass-like skin. Their skin has a granular texture and a slight purplish-green cast that becomes more noticeable with increasing light. These frogs have red livers that you can sometimes see through the skin as well.
There are many species of glass frogs, and they all have nearly clear, glasslike skin in common. But as you can probably tell from the name of this one, the skin has a distinct and bumpy texture.
17. Malayan Horned Frog
- Latin name: Megophrys nasuta
- Habitat:Rainforests of parts of Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra, Singapore, and Thailand
- Size:About 4-5 inches long
- Diet: Smaller rodents, spiders, lizards, and other frogs
- Colorful feature: These frogs have coloring that helps them blend in with the floor of a rainforest. While part of that coloring is dull brown, the belly is often vibrant orange. Alternatively, these frogs may have accents of bright yellow.
These unusual frogs have “horns” that look like the tips of leaves above the eyes. Those horns help them to blend in with leaves and forest-floor debris. They also tend to make this frog look grumpy in head-on photos.
18. Cauca Poison Frog
- Latin name: Andinobates bombetes
- Habitat: Tropical and subtropical dry or mountain forests in Colombia
- Size: Usually less than an inch in length
- Diet: Different types of insects
- Colorful feature: These distinctive frogs have largely dark lower bodies that are often mottled with blue or occasionally yellow. Their head and neck have a bright splash of red.
While the Cauca frog is not endangered, it is one of the frog species on the list considered to be vulnerable to extinction. It has a limited geographical range compared to some other species on the list, and its population is primarily threatened by loss of habitat due to deforestation.
19. Cinnamon Frog
- Latin name: Nyctixalus pictus
- Habitat: Lower tree layers and shrub of forests in the Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, and parts of Sumatra and Borneo
- Size: Up to 1.4 inches long
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: As the name suggests, these frogs are a warm cinnamon brown in color. They are also speckled with tiny white spots.
These beautiful frogs may not be as famous as poison dart frogs, but they nonetheless add a burst of color to forests in tropical and subtropical areas. Though cinnamon frogs have a wide geographical range, they aren’t especially common within that range. Currently, they’re considered to be near threatened. Most of that threat comes from the clearing of forests for both agriculture and logging.
20. Green Bright-Eyed Frog
- Latin name: Boophis viridis
- Habitat: Forested areas with plenty of streams in Madagascar
- Size: Males can grow up to 1.2 inches, while females can be up to 1.4 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs usually have bright green bodies. That feature makes them look eye-catching enough, but they also have large, round eyes whose irises are partially a deep blue that sits somewhere between cobalt and cerulean.
You’re already familiar with the red-eyed tree frog, but the blue-eyed tree frog has eyes that are a bit more calming to look at. These stunning, bright creatures are one of the relatively few frog species that can have blue eyes.
21. Silverstone’s Poison Frog
- Latin name: Ameerega silverstonei
- Habitat: Mountainous forests in Peru
- Size: Males are up to 1.5 inches long, while females are up to 1.7 inches long
- Diet: Different types of forest insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs look a lot like they’ve had paint spilled on their heads; their lower bodies are black, but their heads are red or bright orange. A spattering of bright dots moving down the back looks a lot like paint splatter.
This endangered frog species is a rare sight, but if you’re fortunate enough to see one in the wild, you aren’t likely to forget it. Because it’s so rare, some experts think it may have an even wider range than we know about.
22. Big-Eyed Tree Frog
- Latin name: Leptopelis vermiculatus
- Habitat: Forested parts of Tanzania
- Size: Up to about 3.34 inches long
- Diet: Various forest insects
- Colorful feature: Like some other frogs and many types of reptiles, this frog has two phases. One is a dull brown phase. The other is a bright green color with specks or mottling of black. Its large golden eyes bring a burst of color, too.
This beautiful, somewhat large forest-dwelling frog is another example of an endangered species. Big-eyed tree frog males have two distinct calls; one is for keeping other males away, while the other is for attracting females. Despite their rarity, you may occasionally see them sold or kept as pets.
23. Lehmann’s Poison Frog
- Latin name: Oophaga lehmanni
- Habitat: Tropical rainforests in a small area of western Colombia
- Size: Between 1.2 and 1.4 inches long
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs have a deep black base color with characteristic bands of color. They come in morphs with red, yellow, or orange bands.
The casual observer would probably recognize an illustration of Lehmann’s poison frog as a poison dart frog. However, this species is now critically endangered. It can sometimes be found in captivity. In this state, where it doesn’t eat the insects it derives its toxins from, it’s possible for it to become entirely non-toxic.
24. Strawberry Poison Dart Frog
- Latin name: Oophaga pumilio
- Habitat: Both forested and disturbed areas in Central America
- Size: Less than 1 inch in length
- Diet: Different types of insects, but especially ants
- Colorful feature: These frogs come in a huge variety of morphs. However, most wild-type individuals have primarily red bodies with blue legs, hands, and feet.
The strawberry poison dart frog is one of the most recognizable species of poison frog. It’s also one of the most diverse in terms of color morphs. Currently, it’s estimated that there are between 15 and 30 true-breeding morphs of the strawberry poison dart frog. Most of these morphs aren’t the result of captive breeding; they appear in the wild, although experts aren’t sure exactly why.
25. Golden Mantella
- Latin name: Mantella aurantiaca
- Habitat: Wetlands in a relatively small part of Madagascar
- Size: Up to about 1 inch long
- Diet: Various small invertebrates
- Colorful feature: The golden mantella is a frog whose body is all a bright yellow color; it’s about the same color as a Golden delicious apple. However, it also comes in red and orange morphs.
Though mantellas aren’t quite as well-known as poison dart frogs, they offer colors that can rival those of many dart frogs. The golden mantella in particular is a great choice of pet for those looking to get into the frog hobby. It’s fairly easy to care for, and many people like its bright and cheerful coloration.
26. Jade Tree Frog
- Latin name: Rhacophorus dulitensis
- Habitat: Moist forests and marshes in Borneo
- Size: Males grow up to about 1.5 inches, while females grow up to about 2 inches long
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: These tree frogs have bodies that are primarily a bright spring green. However, their legs, sides, and bellies often start to turn a bluish, jade-like green.
These angular-looking tree frogs look a bit like a more muted version of the red-eyed tree frog. However, their legs are bluish-green (as opposed to bright blue). They also have eyes that are more of a reddish bronze.
27. Splash-Backed Poison Frog
- Latin name: Adelphobates galactonotus
- Habitat: Rainforests of Brazil’s southern Amazon Basin
- Size: Up to 1.7 inches long
- Diet: Various types of rainforest insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs have many color variants, but the most common ones have a yellow, red, or orange splash above a deep black body. Since they are popular in captivity, though, new morphs have been developed by selective breeding.
The splash-backed poison frog is one of the poison dart frogs that’s seen routinely in captivity; it breeds well when captive and is offered for sale by many amphibian breeders. While it is not currently endangered, its population is under threat due to deforestation.
28. Amazon Milk Frog
- Latin name: Trachycephalus resinifictrix
- Habitat: The Amazon rainforest in South America
- Size: Usually from 2.5 to 4 inches long
- Diet: Various types of invertebrates
- Colorful feature: These frogs have a somewhat unusual pattern; they are often pale gray to pale blue in color. They feature darker banding that is between brown and black.
When you first take a look at this pretty, pastel-colored frog, you might think the “milk” in its name comes from its whitish color. But it actually comes from a milk-like fluid that the frogs release when they feel stressed or threatened. They are fairly common as pets, but they need optimal humidity to thrive.
29. Painted Reed Frog
- Latin name: Hyperolius marmoratus
- Habitat: Many different habitat types in different parts of Africa
- Size: Usually about 1 inch long
- Diet: Most types of available insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs vary considerably in terms of coloring. Notably, they are a nondescript brownish-gray color during the day. At night, they switch to their signature bright, marbled coloring. Their evening colors can involve purple, orange, yellow, and more.
Unlike many of the frogs on the list, marbled reed frogs do fairly well when living near humans. While they can thrive in forested habitats, they also can successfully live in pastures, gardens, and even cities!
30. Phantasmal Poison Frog
- Latin name: Epipedobates tricolor
- Habitat: Tropical forest floor in parts of the Andes mountains in Ecuador
- Size: Usually less than 1 inch long
- Diet: Various types of forest insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs are among the most brilliantly colored on the list. Their colors can vary some, but they are usually bright red to purplish red with whitish stripes.
This beautiful little frog has a pleasant, candy-cane-like appearance. It is among the many frog species vulnerable to extinction. As is the case with many rare frogs, the combination of its small range (its current range is estimated to be about 1900 square miles) and loss of its habitat means that it may one day be endangered.
31. Monte Iberia Eleuth Frog
- Latin name: Eleutherodactylus iberia
- Habitat: Rainforests in eastern Cuba
- Size: Up to about 0.4 inches long
- Diet: Mainly moths, insects, and spiders
- Colorful feature: Despite their small size, these frogs are very colorful. Their bodies are mostly black, but they have light, orange-yellow lines along the back and on the legs. Sometimes, the lines change to a pale blue further down the legs.
This tiny frog species is among the smallest in the world; it’s the smallest frog in the Northern Hemisphere. It was only discovered in 1993 by a group of researchers studying the ivory-billed woodpecker. The frogs they found were hidden under leaf litter on a forest floor.
32. Emerald Glass Frog
- Latin name: Espadarana prosoblepon
- Habitat: Forested areas of South America and Central America
- Size: Males grow to about 1.1 inches, while females grow to about 1.2 inches
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs have light green to deep green bodies with a few black spots. Usually, their fingers and toes also have a yellowish or orange glow.
Though this frog is called a glass frog, it’s not nearly as translucent as other glass frogs. It does look a lot like it’s been made of glass, and its skin is highly glossy, too. Unlike many of the frogs on the list, this one is nocturnal.
33. Diablito
- Latin name: Oophaga sylvatica
- Habitat: Mostly rainforests in parts of Colombia and Ecuador
- Size: Up to about 1.5 inches long
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: This unique frog is often yellow, red, or orange. Its body is marked by a network of lines that look a bit like cracks. Often, its hands and feet look a bit more orange than the rest of the body.
This bright frog, like many other poisonous frogs, gets the alkaloids it needs to produce toxins from mites and other small insects it eats. However, it’s those alkaloids that also give its flesh its memorably bright coloration. Like some other poison frogs, you can sometimes find this one in the pet trade.
34. Zimmerman’s Poison Frog
- Latin name: Ranitomeya variabilis
- Habitat: Forested areas of parts of South America
- Size: Up to about 0.6 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These stunning frogs have lower bodies that are mottled with black and blue. Their upper bodies have stripes that are usually a yellowish-orange, but they also can be greenish in color.
The Zimmerman’s poison frog is somewhat unique in that the male frogs are the only ones that care for the young. Once the eggs hatch, the tadpoles need careful care. The male frogs separate the tadpoles as he carries them to water because the tadpoles will eat one another if kept too close.
35. Climbing Mantella
- Latin name: Mantella laevigata
- Habitat: Subtropical and tropical forests in Madagascar
- Size: Up to 2 inches long
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs have bodies that are primarily deep black. However, their backs are covered with a neatly outlined patch of greenish yellow.
Much of the wildlife in Madagascar is brilliantly colored, and the climbing mantella is one of the nation’s most striking examples. Currently, this species is not classified as threatened or endangered, but its gradual loss of habitat means that its numbers are in decline.
36. Harlequin Poison Frog
- Latin name: Oophaga histrionica
- Habitat: Forest floors of rainforests in western Colombia
- Size: Usually between 1 and 1.5 inches long
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: There is no set color for this beautiful frog, and several different morphs can often be found relatively close together in the wild. Usually, the harlequin poison frog has a base body color of yellow, red, orange, blue, white, or even a mixture. The base color is covered by a weblike pattern of black.
This critically endangered species is easily among the most beautiful dart frogs. Though they are sought after among hobbyists, they are very difficult to raise in captivity. In the wild, newly-hatched larvae need to feed on fresh frog eggs in order to survive. Understandably, it can be a real challenge to duplicate these conditions.
37. Burmeister’s Leaf Frog
- Latin name: Phyllomedusa burmeisteri
- Habitat: The Atlantic Forest in Brazil
- Size: Males are usually about 2.5 inches, while females are about 3 inches long
- Diet: Mostly forest insects
- Colorful feature: This beautiful frog has a bright green body, but its real unique color feature is its sides. The sides of Burmeister’s leaf frog are blue with bright orange spots.
These brightly-colored frogs prefer to stay high in the forest canopy. Their somewhat flattened arms and legs make it easier for them to camouflage up in the trees, too. These frogs also have somewhat pointed noses and angular bodies that help them blend into surrounding leaves and avoid detection by predators.
38. Banded Bullfrog
- Latin name: Kaloula pulchra
- Habitat: Mainly forest floors and rice fields in mainland Southeast Asia
- Size: Up to about 3 inches long
- Diet: Primarily ants
- Colorful feature: These rotund frogs have dark greenish-brown bodies, but they also have two broad stripes that are often a source of impressive color. These stripes can be a metallic bronze, bright orange, or even salmon pink.
If you keep pet frogs as a hobby, you might have heard this one referred to as the “chubby frog.” Its round body is certainly distinctive. And while this frog is fairly commonly kept as a pet, experts don’t know much about its life or habits in the wild.
39. Mexican Leaf Frog
- Latin name: Agalychnis dacnicolor
- Habitat: Tropical and subtropical forests in Mexico
- Size: Up to about 4 inches long
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These colorful frogs have bodies that are primarily leaf-green with whitish to yellowish underbellies. Their hands and feet are typically orange. Most individuals have small, whitish spots scattered across the upper body.
Most species of frogs are tasked with carrying tadpoles to water once they have hatched. And while lots of species transport offspring on their backs, the Mexican leaf frog has a highly efficient means of doing so. It lays its eggs in clumps of foliage over water, and once the eggs hatch, the tadpoles simply fall into the water.
40. Dumpy Tree Frog
- Latin name: Litoria caerulea
- Habitat: Many different habitat types (including in and around human dwellings) in Australia and New Guinea
- Size: Up to 4.5 inches long
- Diet: Mostly locusts, moths, and cockroaches, although they may occasionally eat smaller frogs and even small mammals like bats
- Colorful feature: These frogs may not be the absolute brightest on the list, but they have a unique color like a frosted mint green. This pleasant and slightly glossy color pairs well with its whitish underbelly.
The dumpy tree frog has a very unflattering name, but there’s a reason behind it. It doesn’t deposit fat like most species. When one of these frogs becomes overweight (usually in captivity), it will deposit fat layers on its head and upper body, creating an appearance some might describe as being “dumpy.”
41. Blue-Legged Mantella
- Latin name: Mantella expectata
- Habitat: Rocky streams and canyons in Madagascar
- Size: Up to about 1.2 inches long
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs have bright blue legs, black sides, and a back that ranges from bright yellow to greenish yellow. Depending on the exact location, these frogs often have slightly different coloring.
This exquisitely patterned frog is one of the endangered species on the list, but it’s somewhat unusual in that it’s very common within its range. However, thanks to being captured for the pet trade and to the destruction of its habitat, the blue-legged mantella continues to suffer a population decline in the wild.
42. Yellow Mantella
- Latin name: Mantella crocea
- Habitat: Subtropical and tropical forests and swamps in Madagascar
- Size: Up to 0.9 inches long
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs can vary in color, although most frogs have a black “mask” extending across the face and down the sides. Some yellow mantellas are a bright, sunny yellow, but others are tan. In some populations, yellow mantellas have green coloration.
Sometimes, the most striking frogs are those that are almost one solid color. That’s the case with the yellow mantella, a species that is currently classified as being vulnerable to extinction. Like most threatened species, the yellow mantella has been declining in numbers due to both habitat loss and capture for the pet trade.
43. Ornate Pacman Frog
- Latin name: Ceratophrys ornata
- Habitat: Grasslands in South America
- Size: Males can grow up to 4.5 inches long, while females can grow up to 6.5 inches
- Diet: Almost any animal it can physically eat; mainly rodents, insects, other frogs, and lizards
- Colorful feature: These frogs are typically bright green in color with bright red markings.
This frog is commonly called the Argentine horned frog. It’s a popular pet that’s relatively easy to care for, and its bold nature means that it’s usually fairly comfortable with being handled.
44. Brazil-Nut Poison Frog
- Latin name: Adelphobates castaneoticus
- Habitat: Rainforests in central Brazil
- Size: Usually from 0.7 to 0.9 inches long
- Diet: Mostly different types of insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs have a black base color that is covered in brighter spots. These spots are usually somewhere between white and yellow, although they can sometimes be brighter.
This flashily-colored frog gets its name from the fact that its tadpoles will often grow in small pools of water in the husks of Brazil nuts. Unlike some other species of poison frog, its range is somewhat difficult to detect. Because it is dark in color and lives among leaf litter, it can sometimes be undetected.
45. Southern Leopard Frog
- Latin name: Lithobates sphenocephalus
- Habitat: Usually near fresh water or brackish water in the American South
- Size: Up to about 5 inches long
- Diet: Different invertebrates, mostly crayfish and insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs have a glossy, leopard-spotted pattern. They also have two gold stripes along the outer edges of the back.
The Southern leopard frog is a fairly common sight in its range, but its combination of leopard spots and a subtle metallic sheen make it memorable. In colder parts of its range, it is able to stay dormant in bodies of water that aren’t frozen.
46. Mimic Poison Frog
- Latin name: Ranitomeya imitator
- Habitat: Rainforests in parts of eastern Peru
- Size: About 0.5 inches long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs usually have bluish mottled legs and a yellowish-orange upper body. Their bodies are marked with dark, distinctive marks. They are one of the most easily recognizable of the poison dart frogs.
As the name suggests, this frog’s coloring is very similar to that of other more poisonous dart frogs. This is a significant evolutionary advantage, as predators are more likely to avoid this frog if they have had a bad experience with a similarly colored species. While the mimic poison frog is still toxic, it is much less toxic than many other species. These frogs seem to breed well in captivity, and they can often be found in the pet trade.
47. Splendid Leaf Frog
- Latin name: Cruziohyla calcarifer
- Habitat: Humid lowland forests in parts of Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama
- Size: Males are up to about 3.3 inches, while females are up to about 3.5 inches
- Diet: Various types of forest insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs certainly live up to their name. While much of their bodies are a solid leaf-green like many tree frogs are, they have brilliant orange bellies. A portion of each arm and leg is also bright orange. At the point where the green upper body meets the orange belly, they also have dark black tiger stripes.
Many tropical tree frogs are bright in color. And while this one doesn’t have the blue legs or very large red eyes of the red-eyed tree frog, its underside is a brilliant and saturated orange. And while its colors might make you think it’s active during the day, the splendid leaf frog is actually a nocturnal species. Though it may not be as well known as other types of forest frogs, this one is not currently a threatened or endangered species.
48. Granular Poison Frog
- Latin name: Oophaga granulifera
- Habitat: Tropical lowland forests in Costa Rica and Panama
- Size: Up to about 0.8 inches long
- Diet: Different types of forest insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs are some of the most colorful poison dart frogs. Their backs and arms can vary from a bright crimson red to a bright and intense orange. Usually, their legs and lower bodies are a bluish gray. Parts of Costa Rica are home to a less colorful variant; in this frog, the red or orange upperparts are olive green instead.
The granular poison frog gets its name from the grainy surface of the skin on its back. It’s a lot like many other dart frogs in that its tadpoles feed on freshly laid frog eggs from their mother. That may be part of why the species is currently classified as being vulnerable to extinction; even in captive breeding programs, these conditions can prove very difficult to replicate.
49. Beautiful Mantella
- Latin name: Mantella pulchra
- Habitat: Subtropical and tropical forests and swamps in Madagascar
- Size: About 0.8 inches long
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These striking frogs have multicolor patterns; their bodies have a black or very dark brown base color with patches of green on the shoulders and hips. The hands, feet, and top of the head are often a gold to bronze color. Sometimes, they will have patches of bright orange, too.
The beautiful mantella is an especially striking frog species found in Madagascar. Though it is not currently endangered, it is classified as being near threatened. Its population is mostly impacted by loss of habitat, but it’s also possibly collected for the pet trade. That said, it isn’t as common as some other frogs in captivity.
50. Madagascar Tomato Frog
- Latin name: Dyscophus antongilii
- Habitat: Many habitat types, including subtropical and tropical forests and marshes, gardens, farms, and even cities in the northeastern part of Madagascar
- Size: Females grow up to about 4 inches long, while males grow to about 2.6 inches
- Diet: Mostly insects, other frogs, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and even some small mammals
- Colorful feature: These large frogs have a red-orange color similar to that of a tomato. Some are marked with darker spots as well.
These frogs certainly do look a lot like tomatoes, and experts believe their color may warn predators that they are toxic. When threatened, tomato frogs can release a whitish, gluelike substance. If humans come into contact with it, it has the potential to cause an allergic reaction.
51. Black-Legged Poison Frog
- Latin name: Phyllobates bicolor
- Habitat: Lowland forests in western Colombia
- Size: Males can reach about 2 inches, while females can reach about 2.2 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These especially bright frogs are usually either bright yellow or bright orange. Their legs are black and tend to fade into the brighter colors of the body.
The black-legged poison frog is among the most toxic of the frog species; unlike many poison frogs, this one has actually caused death in humans. Despite its toxicity, it can be kept as a pet, as wild frogs are only able to produce poison by extracting it from animals they eat.
52. Golden Poison Frog
- Latin name: Phyllobates terribilis
- Habitat: Rainforests on Colombia’s Pacific coats
- Size: Up to about 2.2 inches long
- Diet: Different types of insects, especially ants
- Colorful feature: These highly lethal frogs come in three main color varieties. One variety, called “mint green,” can also occur in a brighter metallic green or even in white. The yellow morph is responsible for the name “golden poison frog.” The orange morph can range from a deeper metallic orange to a lighter yellow-orange.
The golden poison frog may be the most poisonous animal on Earth. It is much more toxic than many frogs, and one individual often contains enough poison to kill 10-20 people or about 10,000 mice.
53. Amazonian Poison Dart Frog
- Latin name: Ranitomeya amazonica
- Habitat: Amazon rainforests in Peru, as well as parts of Colombia and possibly nearby countries
- Size: Up to about 0.7 inches long
- Diet: Different types of insects
- Colorful feature: These frogs are among the most colorful dart frogs. They have mottled blue legs, and their upper bodies have a shaded gradient from orange to yellow. The gradient is crossed with a wavy black pattern.
This dart frog species has only recently been recognized as being distinct from other members of its genus. However, there is currently not enough data on its populations to determine whether or not it is endangered or threatened.
Nature’s Brightly Colored Frogs
So there they are; some of the world’s most exciting and colorful creatures. Whether it’s a dangerously toxic dart frog or a common tree frog, seeing one of these dazzling amphibians is sure to bring some light to your life.
