Poison Dart Frog

Poison Dart Frog

Credit: Mathieu Chouteau, Université de Montréal

R. imitator, a species of poison dart frog found in Peru, warns predators of its toxicity with a colorful giraffe-like pattern.

Striped Poison Dart Frog

Striped Poison Dart Frog

Credit: Mathieu Chouteau, Université de Montréal

In nearby regions, the same species of frog sports yellow stripes rather than yellow-green squiggles.

Mock Frog

Mock Frog

Credit: Mathieu Chouteau, Université de Montréal

Researchers made fake frogs out of clay and painted them to mimic R. imitator patterns. This fake frog shows evidence of a predator attack.

Fake Frog on a Leaf

Fake Frog on a Leaf

Credit: Mathieu Chouteau, Université de Montréal

Real or fake? Predators had trouble telling that this frog was made of clay.

When Predators Attack

When Predators Attack

Credit: Mathieu Chouteau, Université de Montréal

The aftermath of an attack on a decoy frog.

Attacked Frog

Attacked Frog

Credit: Mathieu Chouteau, Université de Montréal

A brown frog designed to look like a non-toxic species shows signs of attack.

Frog Bite

Frog Bite

Credit: Mathieu Chouteau, Université de Montréal

Even a failed attack would be deadly to a real frog.

Froggy Colors

Froggy Colors

Credit: Mathieu Chouteau, Université de Montréal

These poison dart frogs evolved their colors hyper-locally, with warning signals that stave off only predators in their neighborhoods.