Green mantella
Mantella viridis
The green mantella lives in northern Madagascar and, despite its small distribution area, has slightly varying color patterns. Depending on the composition of their diet, the poison that the frogs produce as a defense contains different substances (mostly alkaloids).
There is no longer any genetic exchange between the fragmented populations of the green mantella, which means that genetic diversity is becoming increasingly impoverished. Outside Madagascar, the species is bred on a small scale, slowly but steadily creating a small reserve population to prevent the species from dying out. Fortunately, the frog species seems to be adapting quickly to new habitats. For example, the green mantella has also been found in mango plantations and near irrigation systems in cities. This adaptability shows a strategy that speaks for the survival of the species despite drastic habitat loss.
| Relatives | anurans, family of Mantellidae | |
| Habitat | dry forests and karst landscape near streams and temporary bodies of water | |
| Behaviour | diurnal ground dweller; lives in small groups | |
| Diet | small insects and other invertebrates | |
| Weight | up to 5 g | |
| Body length | males up to 25 mm, females up to 30 mm | |
| Spawn | The female lays 15 to 60 yellow-green fertilized eggs on stones or roots, where they are guarded by the male. In heavy rain, the tadpoles hatch and run off with rainwater into ponds. | |
| Duration from egg laying to hatching | 1 to 3 weeks | |
| Tadepole stage | 3 to 4 months | |
| Use | terraristics | |
| Current population | unknown, decreasing | |
| At Zoo Zurich since | 2026 |
Distribution
Conservation status
