Frogs of Madagascar



Frogs have one of the largest percentage of endemic species for the entire island with 99% of the frogs being endemic. Madagascar is said to have over 300 species of frogs with frogs being the only amphibians living on the island. The common mantella frogs are very colorful and use their bright colors to advertise their toxicity to predators (their skin secretions are poisonous). Mantella just happen to be the most popular frogs in the pet trade on the island. Mantidactylus frogs are the opposite and rely on obscure camouflage instead of loud colors. The tree frogs and toad-like frogs in Madagascar secrete sticky glue like substances that protect them from their main predators the colubrid snakes, cats, dogs, and can cause an allergic reaction in humans.1 For a list of all frog species on the island go to the following link: http://www.wildmadagascar.org/wildlife/frogs2.html.

1 http://www.wildmadagascar.org