Classification:
Amphibia-> Anura-> Dendrobatoidea-> Dendrobatidae-> Dendrobatinae-> Minyobates -> Minyobates steyermarki (R IVERO , 1971) 

 

Note to the scheme:

The genus Minyobates was established by M YERS in 1987. Type species is Minyobates steyermarki . The other small species of the former Dendrobates minutus group of SILVERSTONE (1975) Ranitomeya abdita, R. altobueyensis, R. bombetes, R. fulgurita, R. minuta, R. opisthomelas and R. viridis were also from the ancient genus Dendrobates with in the new genus transferred. The demarcation to Dendrobates was due to morphological features (small size <20mm, Dendrobates > 20mm), the absence of histrionicotoxins in skin toxins and a mating head amphora in M. steyermarki(M YERS , 1987). It has now been confirmed that the composition of skin toxins depends mainly on the prey consumed (S APORITO ET AL. , 2004). Even within different variants of a species, this can vary greatly. Therefore, the skin poison composition can no longer be used as a systematically usable feature. The Kopfamplexus is considered as original behavior within the family Dendrobatidae and just its absence as typical of the modern genus Dendrobates . Thus, the establishment of a new genus for the species M. steyermarki from M YERS point of view was quite justified. Later ethological investigations on other small species the M YERSHowever, due to their small body size, Minyobates showed that there is no Amplexus in R. minuta and R. fulgurita . Your courtship is exactly like other typical representatives of the subfamily Dendrobatinae . Even with M. steyermarki a head ampoule could only be observed in the terrarium with aggressive behavior. The courtship also runs here as in most species of the subfamily Dendrobatinae without Amplexus and with separate delivery of sex products (B RANDT pers. Komm.). J UNGFER ET AL.(1987, 2000) questioned the genus and did not recognize the genus rank. Genetic studies of V ENCES ET AL. (2003) show, however, that M. steyermarki genetically deviates so much from Dendrobates that for this species the genus Minyobates was validated again and is now considered a sister genus to Dendrobates . So far, however, the genus is monotypic, that is occupied with only one kind. For the other small species, which were made by M YERS to Minyobates , since the extensive revision of F ROST ET AL . (2006) now the genus affiliation to Ranitomeya B AUER, 1988.

 

Annex II of the WA. Annex B of the EUArtschVO. Notifiable according to BArtSchVO. 

 

According to IUCN (2005), M. steyermarki is considered critically endangered. The classification was due to the small distribution area of ​​less than 10 square kilometers on the Cerro Yapacana, the fact that it is the occurrence of the only known population and the fact that the forest area as a habitat continues to decline. In the biotope, the species is still occurring in large quantities. Inventory not decreasing.

 

Description :

-size :

Very small type with a KRL of 14-16mm.

 

-Grooming:

Body rusty brown to dark red, partly with indistinct dark brown markings. Skin smoothly granulated on the flanks. Adhesive discs of the fingers widened. Finger 1> 2. Females with larger body size and greater total length, males slightly smaller (B RAND & S CHMIDT , 2003)

 

- Variation:

There is only one variant known so far.

 

- Older:

So far no information. Probably 5-7 years possible.

 

- Maturity:

According to B, males begin to call RAND & S CHMIDT (2003) with about 8 months. Fertilized clutch but only after about 12 months.

 

- Skin poisons:

According to M YERS (1987), the main components of the skin toxin pumiliotoxin -A,  decahydroquinoline and  indolizidine but no histrionicotoxin

 

Clutch and larvae

- Features of scrim:

According to B RAND & S CHMIDT, the gel mass has a diameter of approx. 15 mm and contains 3-9 eggs (Ø 4 eggs). The eggs are initially black, then light up slightly.

 

- Characteristics larvae:

After hatching 8-10 mm in size (B RAND & S CHMIDT , 2003).

 

- Development periods:

Clutches require 10-14 days at 20 ° C. Higher temperatures affect the development negatively. Larvae need about 70 days to complete at 22-26 ° C metamorphosis  The hind legs are easily recognizable after 35-42 days and after about 70 days the front legs break through. Freshly metamorphosed frogs have a size of about 8-10 mm. They have only two weak to strong red Dorsalstreifen Until sexual maturity at about 12 months, these strips grow to a continuous color (B RAND & S CHMIDT , 2003).

 

 - Nutrition:

The larvae are  omnivorous and can be well raised with mixtures of commercially available ornamental fish feeds. A finely ground mixture of ornamental dry fish food (color food), freeze-dried crab crayfish, red mosquito larvae, water fleas, Artemia and spirulina-containing feeding tablets for ornamental fish seems well suited (O STROWSKI , personal observation).

 

Behavior (ethology)

 - General behavior:

Quiet a bit shy frog.

 

- Territorial:

There are no observations on field behavior in the field. The animals are quite aggressive in the terrarium. The aggressiveness is not gender specific. With group keeping of wild caught already losses occurred with suppressed animals! The animals jump each other and cling in a head ampoule (B RANDT , pers. Komm.).

 

- courtship behavior:

The courtship behavior has not yet been documented in detail. According to B RANDT (personal comm.) Comes quite quickly after calling for spawning. B Rand observed a "lead" by the male. The male attracts the female to the oviposition site with constant shouting. At oviposition, B RANDT wasnever able to observe an amplexus as described by M YERS (1987). The animals sat mostly opposite. Oviposition and fertilization took place partially also as with Dendrobates separately.

 

- Brood care behavior:

There are no observations on observations from the field. In the terrarium, the male takes over the care of the eggs (paternal brood care). It usually transports all larvae together, but sets the tadpole separately in small phytotelma ta (eg Bromelienachseln) from. A supply of larvae with feeders could not be observed so far. (B RANDT , personal comm.)

 

 - Utterance (vocalization):

The reputation is unique in the family Dendrobatidae. These are bird-like beeps. The sounds are delivered in single whistles. In the presence of several males forming Rufgemeinschaften, in which all males deliver their whistles synchronized succession. It comes to whistle-series in which one can make the calls of a single male difficult (B RANDT , pers. Komm.)