Veragoa stubfoot toad

Description

A.varius is a diurnal frog often found on rocks or in crevices along streams in humid lowland and montane forests (Crump and Pounds 1985).It is primarily a terrestrial species,only entering the water during breeding season,relying on spray from streams for moisture (Pounds and Crump 1994).The Costa Rican variable harlequin frog is slow moving and often remains in the same area for long periods of time.The conspicuous or aposematic coloration of A.varius likely serves as a warning to potential predators of the toxicity of the frog's integument which contains tetrodotoxin,a potent neurotoxin (Crump and Pounds 1985).Its main food source is small arthropods that are most abundant during the dry season (Crump 1988).The only known predator of A.varius is a parasitic sarcophagid fly (Notochaeta bufonivora) which deposits its larvae on the surface of the frog's thigh.The larvae then proceed to burrow inside the frog and eat it from within (Pounds and Crump 1987).