Ranitomeya Imitator 'green' (juveniles)
Age: 3+ months
Line: INIBICO x Darren Meyers
Ranitomeya Imitator (green) morph or Mimic Poison Frog, come from the rainforests of northeastern Peru. This species effectively mimics the coloration and pattern of another thumbnail dart frog species in its area, the Ranitomeya Variablis. They are one of the boldest thumbnail species being seen up front and center cage, often in groups putting on a show. They thrive in groups of 4+ provided with the right setup. Sexual maturity is around 8 months with some males calling at 5 months. Imitators typically lay clutches of 2-3 eggs all throughout the cage. Imitator thumbnails are known as facultative egg feeders, meaning that if left to their own devices, the female frog will feed the tadpoles unfertilized food eggs. In many cases this will be done under the males supervision. In fact, the male usually orchestrates the feeding, by calling the female to the particular bromeliad or film canister to lay the eggs for the tadpole. Due to their monogamy and parental care this family of dart frogs are able to exploit tiny pools that are otherwise nutritionally inadequate for other arboreal frog species. These imitators make a great introductory thumbnail species.