The Effects of Temperature on Development and Survival in Tadpoles of the Tropical Poison Frog Dendrobates auratus

We examined the effects of temperature on developmental rate and survival in tadpoles of the poison frog Dendrobates auratus . Tadpoles reared at 26.2 and 29.4°C reached metamorphosis significantly faster, and had significantly higher rates of survival, than tadpoles raised at 22.3 and 30.9°C. Field studies showed that the mean temperature of bodies of water utilized by D. auratus tadpoles in La Suerte, Costa Rica was 26.2°C. Information such as this may aid efforts to maintain and breed tropical frog species in captivity.