Savanna Dart Frog

Poison dart frogs live in lowland tropical rainforests. They are aposematic, using their bright colors to warn predators that they are toxic. These toxins come from their diet of arthropods like ants and evolved from predation pressure from animals like the fire-bellied snake. Their niche is that of a small insect-eating predator within the rainforest food web, shaping their feeding behavior. They are also highly territorial, using vocal calls to display their strength. However, over the next 50 years, rainforests may become drier savannas due to climate change. The Savanna dart frog will evolve within that time to have a dull coloration for camouflage among grass and shrubs, as dietary changes would reduce the toxins that create their vibrant colors, aiding their survival and evolution. They would develop less permeable skin to prevent water loss in the drier conditions and become less territorial and more mobile to look for food.