Golden Mantella Frog
(Mantella aurantiaca)
Facts
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IUCN CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)
Facts about this animal
20-26 mm, uniformly yellow, orange or red coloured, with the exception of red areas on the ventral surface of the hind legs. Active during the day. Eggs are deposited in moist leaf litter outside of water. One clutch consists of 20-60 whitish eggs. They usually are immediately fertilized by a male, although fertilization can occur up to 2 days later and by multiple males. It is common for only part of a clutch of eggs to be fertilized by a male. Embryogenesis lasts 14 days and the tadpoles are flooded into small pools by heavy rain. They develop within about 6 to 8 weeks into froglets measuring 11 mm.
Did you know?
that Mantella is the most prominent genus of Malagasy frogs? They demonstrate remarkable convergences in appearance, habits and colouration with the neotropic poison arrow frogs of the family Dendrobatidae. The impression of a high level of convergence was further confirmed when it could be demonstrated that Mantella are also poisonous and that Mantella laevigata climbs on trees and breeds in tree-holes.
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | AMPHIBIA |
| Order | ANURA |
| Suborder | NEOBATRACHIA |
| Family | MANTELLIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Mantella aurantiaca |
| Name (English) | Golden Mantella Frog |
| Name (French) | Mantelle dorée |
| Name (German) | Goldfröschchen |
| Name (Spanish) | Rana dorada |
| CITES Status | Appendix II |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
Photo Copyright by
© Franco Andreone
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Madagascar |
| Habitat | It is a terrestrial species of primary and secondary rainforest. The occurrence of this species seems correlated with humid Pandanus forest, where it can be found in sun-exposed sites above 900 m. They usually inhabit mossy or grassy mounds of forest debris that border shallow swampy waters. |
| Wild population | They are of the rarest Mantella frogs in the wild (area of occupancy probably less than 10km2 and fragmented). There are only about three small locations on the island where they are found, and they are growing increasingly rare due to habitat destruction. The number of mature individuals might also be declining through over-exploitation. However more people are having success breeding these frogs and it isn't difficult to locate captive-bred golden mantellas for sale today |
| Zoo population | 871 reported to ISIS (2007) |
In the Zoo
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How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 45 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Photo Copyright by
© Franco Andreone
How this animal should be kept
Mantellas require relatively spacious housing because too small a container results in excessive contact and stress, because males are very territorial and will often fight over potential breeding sites and feeding areas.
For 3 or 4 individuals the - well ventilated - terrarium should measure 60 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm and 90 cm x 40 cm x 50 cm should be sufficient for 10 to 12 individuals. Temperatures preferably around 20°C, high humidity and quite open, light conditions. The photoperiod should be 10-11 hours during winter and 12-14 hours during summer. The substrate needs to hold moisture and shouldn't stick to the frogs. Therefore for a natural layout a nice spongy sphagnum or java moss base can be used on top of which are laid several decorative pieces of bogwood, rocks and branches.
A shallow - 2 cm deep - 10 cm diameter water pan should be placed to the side furthest away from the light and under-vivarium heater pad source as this allows for a cool retreat in case of overheated mantellas. A few creeping house plants such as snakeskin plant (Fittonia), ivy (Hedera and Helix) and bottle ferns can be left in their pots which are concealed with moss.
Cleaning out is necessary every 5-8 days. The terrarium must be absolutely escape-proof because mantellas can squeeze through the smallest of gaps.
Crickets are the obvious year round source of food but as wide a range of small invertebrates as possible should be offered, like fruit-flies, lesser waxworms, small house-flies, spiders, caterpillars, small beetles, moths, termites and sweepings. However mantellas find it difficult to digest mealworms. During summer aphids/greenfly/blackfly/whitefly and cabbage fly are all avidly taken by most species. Several small sittings per day rather than a single large one should be offered.
Once it has settled down it is one of the easiest species to breed in captivity, although unsuccessful fertilization of the eggs is quite a common occurrence. Females can produce eggs at a rate of once every two months given proper care. A suitable egg-laying site is almost always somewhere moist and enclosed. Eggs can be fertilized either immediately on deposition or up to two days after and by several males. Anywhere from three to twelve days after fertilization, the tadpoles will have developed enough to break out of the egg. Hatching is a critical time in the development. Somehow the eggs need to be submersed in water so that tadpoles can wriggle free.