Ranitomeya uakarii from Quebrada Tamshiyacu, Peru. Photo by Jason Brown. |
Distribution
Lowlands near Iquitos, Peru, type locality Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Communal Reserve which lies on the southern side of the Amazon River. Other populations with similar patterning but varying coloration are known from near the Brazilian border and as far south as Rio Pachitea near Pucallpa. View type locality in Google Maps.
Natural history
This is a relatively small species of Ranitomeya (15-16 mm SVL) that spends most of its time on the forest floor. Egg-deposition and presumably tadpole development take place in the Guzmania bromeliads that are abundant in the area.
Conservation status
To our knowledge, legal exports of this species have only taken place recently with Understory Enterprises. However, smuggling pressure seems to have been relatively low through the recent years for this species. In the wild, this frog occurs throughout many sparsely inhabited areas throughout a large range and is therefore not threatened by habitat loss.
Notes
Member of the fantastica genetic group. This species was for a long time considered to be Ranitomeya duellmani, though genetic work showed it was certainly something different. In hindsight, the distinction could have easily been made through morphology. R. duellmani never has yellow coloration on the sides whereas R. uakarii always does. These two species also occupy distinct ranges, with R. duellmani occupying the northern side of the Amazon and extending into Ecuador, and R. uakarii occupying forests to the south of the Amazon and extending to the south and east.