00:00 The animal kingdom is full of awe-striking colors, shapes, and patterns.
00:04 But if you're after some near-psychedelic colors so bright and radiant, they could be
00:09 from another planet.
00:11 Look no further than the world of amphibians.
00:13 Yup, you'd think snakes are the ones with the incredible diversity of colors.
00:17 But the world of frogs holds secret colors and patterns that are just as phenomenal,
00:22 if not perhaps even more noteworthy.
00:26 Are you ready to see some of the most amazing colored frogs?
00:29 You won't believe your eyes exist.
00:32 Welcome to another episode of Forever Green.
00:35 Today, we're counting down the most incredibly colored frogs in the world.
00:40 Make sure you stick around for number 1 to meet the one and only Rainbow Frog, a species
00:45 far from your average green toad.
00:47 Let's get started.
00:53 Number 10.
00:54 Dying Dart Frog If the world of frogs had hippies, they would
01:01 without a doubt be dying dart frogs.
01:03 But these tie-dye colored frogs aren't quiet about the peace and love.
01:08 The dying dart frog is actually one of the largest species of poison dart frog.
01:14 And research shows they use their vibrant, near-psychedelic colors to make themselves
01:19 undesirable to predators.
01:23 Seems like a win-win considering just how poisonous these frogs can be.
01:27 So, perhaps from a safe distance, you can admire the wide variety of colors and patterns
01:33 these frogs come in, which include sapphire blue, yellow, and black.
01:38 They typically have a pastel yellow head with two dorsal ventral stripes running the length
01:44 of its body.
01:46 Dying dart frogs are so beautifully colored that legend suggests their skin secretions
01:51 were at one time used to color the feathers of juvenile parrots.
01:57 If you think that's a crazy color, then you've seen nothing.
02:01 Just wait until you see the rainbow frog at number 1.
02:07 Number 9.
02:08 Vietnamese Mossy Frog Can you see it?
02:14 No?
02:15 Wait for it.
02:16 Did you catch that?
02:18 Then say hello to the Vietnamese mossy frog, a species that greatly resembles a clump of
02:24 moss.
02:27 Thanks not only to its leafy green color with black spots, but also to the visible tubercles
02:31 and spines on its body.
02:34 As unique and intriguing as they are, they are some of the hardest frogs to spot in the
02:39 wild because their camouflage is just that good.
02:44 Besides, you need to know where to look first.
02:49 These guys usually hide in basins of water found in crevices.
02:54 You'll have to look carefully because the only thing protruding are their eyes.
02:59 Not only do their mossy bodies allow them to keep a watchful eye on predators, but they
03:03 also let them get close to some of their favorite prey such as large insects and crickets.
03:08 Yum.
03:10 So yeah, they're pretty much impossible to spot when sitting still.
03:18 Number 8.
03:19 Tomato Frog Looking about as ripe and plump as a tomato,
03:25 this frog is native to the tropical rainforests of Madagascar and was nicknamed after its
03:30 vibrant red color resembling that of the vegetable.
03:35 The largest and brightest of the species are usually the females.
03:38 But one thing both sexes have in common is that their bright coloration serves as a warning
03:43 sign for predators looking for food.
03:47 These frogs spend much of their time grubbed in the mud under leaves and when threatened,
03:51 they secrete a toxic, glue-like substance from their skin which serves as a deterrent
03:55 to predators.
03:56 That, and they inflate themselves to deter predators.
04:01 So while you can look and admire, there's one tomato you definitely don't want in your
04:06 salad.
04:07 You've been warned.
04:10 Real quick, before we reveal our next most colorful frogs, we have a quick challenge
04:14 for you.
04:15 Here's the deal, leave us a like, smash that subscribe button and turn on notifications
04:20 in less than 5 seconds and you'll win 10 years of incredible luck.
04:25 Try it, it actually works.
04:31 Number 7.
04:32 The Blue Poison Dart Frog.
04:36 As you'd expect, these frogs also use their unappetizing coloration to keep pretty much
04:41 anyone away, and we should probably thank them for it.
04:46 The Blue Poison Dart Frog, with its sapphire-like color, is unquestionably beautiful, but equally
04:53 as dangerous due to the toxic substances they release through their skin.
04:57 Thankfully, just like the gemstone, this frog species is one of nature's unique treasures.
05:04 Confined to the tropical forests that border the Cipollini savanna of southern Suriname
05:09 and extend into northern Brazil.
05:14 In addition to their shiny blue coloration, these frogs have a pretty unique physique
05:18 with both long arms and a hunched back.
05:23 And just like leopards, every individual has its own distinct pattern of black spots on
05:28 its back and sides, a sort of fingerprint that can be used to tell them apart.
05:38 Number 6.
05:39 The Golden Poison Dart Frog.
05:42 If you haven't been following, poison dart frogs use their attractive coloration to counter-intuitively
05:48 steer us away.
05:50 And by the looks of the golden dart frog, one might even say that the more precious
05:55 their coloration, the more you'd want to stay away.
05:59 Why?
06:00 Because coating its shiny colored skin is a lethal substance known as batrachotoxin.
06:07 A typical wild golden poison frog has anywhere from 700 to 1,900 micrograms of toxin in its
06:14 system.
06:15 All it takes is 200 micrograms to kill an adult-sized human.
06:20 So, any one of these precious little frogs could be carrying just enough poison to kill
06:26 10 human beings.
06:30 Their optimal habitat is the rainforest, where they're often seen in colors ranging anywhere
06:36 from yellow to orange, and sometimes even pale green.
06:40 Remarkably, the snake Liophis epinophelus is the only creature on Earth immune to their
06:46 poison, making it the frog's only known predator.
06:53 Golphoduchian Poison Frog.
06:58 Known for the granular texture on its dorsal side, with a smoother, solid black head and
07:03 back, the handsome Golphoduchian poison dart frog is one of the few in its family to become
07:09 an endangered species.
07:13 Due to lower birth rates and continual habitat destruction, they've seen a drastic decrease
07:17 in population numbers over time.
07:22 Its colorful patterns vary significantly, but their distinct trait are their blue-green
07:27 speckled legs, which are often contrasted by the gold, red, or orange-colored stripes
07:32 that run from their heads to the backs of their bodies.
07:36 While you still can, these guys are best admired from a distance, as their bright coloration
07:42 and the word "poison" in their name clearly suggests.
07:50 Number 5.
07:51 Coco Poison Dart Frog.
07:55 This subspecies of frogs endemic to northern Colombia may look awesome and have arguably
08:00 the coolest name, but the Coco Poison Dart Frog is also the fourth most toxic of category
08:08 and is best gawked at from afar.
08:12 They've got attractive black bodies with white spotted legs and green stripes running down
08:16 their backs, a color combination that also serves to tell us they are lethally toxic.
08:25 Simply touching an agitated Coco Frog can induce life-threatening neurological symptoms
08:29 including high fever, loss of muscle control, convulsions, and even paralysis.
08:36 Even for large predators, eating an adult Coco Frog can be almost immediately fatal.
08:42 So really, we should be thanking them for their bright colors.
08:47 Not a ton of research has been done on these frogs, but it turns out they lost their dangerous
08:51 toxicity pretty quickly, which suggests they get their poison from their insect-rich diet.
09:00 Number 4.
09:01 Variable Poison Frog.
09:05 There's only one word to describe the skins on these frogs, and that's "wow".
09:12 As much as their bright colors serve to warn you of their poisonous nature, it's hard to
09:16 resist admiring this frog's subspecies from up close.
09:22 Small enough to be called "thumbnail frogs", the color of their splashed back can range
09:26 from lemon yellow to vivid orange to bright red.
09:31 Sometimes the vibrant colors take up their entire back, with little or no black remaining
09:36 except for the legs and underside.
09:39 You can find these beautiful creatures in the rainforests of Ecuador and Peru.
09:46 But don't try looking for one, or at least, if you do look, make sure you don't touch.
09:54 Number 3.
09:55 Amazon Milk Frog.
09:59 With its alternating bands and patches of dark brown and light gray to blue skin, the
10:04 Amazon Milk Frog appears a little less bright and more granular in texture than most frogs
10:09 on this list.
10:11 However, upon closer inspection, the Amazon Milk Frog has a few more subtle gems up its
10:17 sleeve, like that remarkable gold and black cross pattern in the iris of its eye.
10:25 It is in fact also known as the "Mission Golden-Eyed Tree Frog".
10:30 And while its eyes may not stun you at first sight, the inside of its mouth just might.
10:35 Its skin color may appear bland to you at first, which is why the Amazon Milk Frog will
10:39 shock you once it widens its jaws, revealing an ocean-like turquoise color like no other.
10:49 Number 2.
10:50 Mimic Poison Frog.
10:54 Speaking of a fake, this subspecies of poison dart frogs are very mild in toxicity compared
11:00 to the rest of their family, and get their name from the fact that their coloration mimics
11:04 the more toxic species.
11:08 These tiny amphibians grow to be about the size of a thumbnail, and will look a lot like
11:12 many of the other frogs you've seen on today's list and more.
11:17 Four distinct morphs are known for this species, each a blend of vibrant hues.
11:23 The morphs are thought to have evolved through a phenomenon called mimetic radiation, in
11:28 which a species comes to closely resemble different model species.
11:33 The poison dart frog has in fact taken on characteristics of the splashed-back variable
11:37 poison frog you saw earlier, and another species we didn't cover in today's video, the red-headed
11:42 poison dart frog.
11:45 In geographical areas where these two species meet, the mimic poison dart frog has taken
11:50 on colorations of both, resulting in a generation of hybrids with truly unique color patterns.
11:58 Some of those patterns may even provide a reproductive advantage, suggesting that the
12:01 mimic poison frog is evolving right in front of our eyes.
12:07 It's now time for today's subscriber pick.
12:10 Today's photo was sent to us by a subscriber wondering about this rainbow-colored frog
12:14 that simply looks out of this world.
12:16 If you come across an interesting photo online and want us to look into it, just send it
12:21 over and we may even feature it in a future video.
12:25 So, are rainbow frogs real?
12:28 Well, we looked into this multi-colored frog and believe it or not, it's actually photoshopped.
12:33 Yup, you've seen a lot of colorful frog variations today, but this one is literally unreal.
12:39 However, there is a species that's been dubbed the rainbow frog for a very good reason, and
12:44 that's the number one Malagasy rainbow frog.
12:51 The Malagasy rainbow frog, also known as the ornate hopper, rainbow burrowing frog, red
12:56 rain frog, or Goddleby's narrow-mouthed frog, is one of the most highly decorated frogs
13:02 from the island of Madagascar.
13:06 With its unique black, white, red, and green pattern, this species is found in the rocky
13:11 canyons of the Isolo Massif in Isolo National Park.
13:16 Unfortunately, its beautifully decorated skin is also one of the species' downfalls, as
13:21 it is threatened by over-collection for the pet trade.
13:26 Other factors that threaten the species are habitat destruction caused by fire, wood extraction,
13:32 overgrazing by livestock, and recent sapphire mining activities in areas adjacent to the
13:36 species' known range.
13:41 The world of frogs is filled with even more colors and patterns like those of the blue-legged
13:46 Montella, the scaphiophrine, and the Montella baroni, just to name a few, but we don't want
13:51 to keep you here forever, so we hope this video did them some justice.
13:57 Do you agree with our list, or did we miss out on one of your favorite frogs?
14:01 Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
14:03 And if you liked this video, you should definitely check out our related video.
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