AmphibiCast Folgen

Ameerega is arguably one of the most stunning genera of dart frogs. Although they are not as common in the hobby as  dendrobates or oophaga, they are still a vibrant and interesting genus with a variety of colorful species  that make a fine additional to a properly sized vivarium. This week I am joined by Canadian Hobbyist and Breeder, Sean McIntyre. Sean and I discuss Ameerega as a genus, and some of the of the species and locales of Ameerega that he currently works with.  We dispel some misconceptions about care and we take a deep dive into proper husbandry and breeding.  We also talk about the dart frog hobby in Canada and why Ameerega are less common in the US hobby. To support the show by becoming a Patron, for merch, and for a 10 % discount off of an In Situ Ecosystems vivarium visit https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast?fbclid=PAAabeX2cIbRO-Q_9vJCgJGrqYX9eq4gY7Q0YCChxHERWcBeJHQrdjWCxLpbM_aem_th_Ade73qNlgaBGtRi5SLiBbjM24KGWDbtAApGDBFgLZ69m_LQaXNqeXGNgdM6lqcv58WEThis Week's episode is sponsored by Gray Ghost Creations. For unique wildlife, reptile, amphibian, and arachnid art visit:https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrayGhostCreationsMore about this week’s guest:Sean McIntyre is a dart frog hobbyist from Canada who specializes in Ameerega. Be sure to follow Sean @redbeard0511 

This week I am joined by Steve Reyes. Steve is a fellow dart frog keeper with decades of experience in the amphibian and reptile  hobbies. Within the past few years, though Steve has narrowed his focus towards working with large obligates and he keeps and breeds several species and locales.  In this episode, Steve walks us through his approach  to successfully maintaining and breeding these sensitive species. We talk about enclosure setup, caring for neonates, and his supplementation routine.  Steve is also an avid podcast listener and we finish off the episode with a discussion about what makes a good podcast, some of our influences, and our favorite shows.To learn more please feel free to follow steve @rainforest_rarities 

Aposematism and chemical defense are common traits among many species of amphibian. California Newts, Dart frogs, and Fire Bellied Toads are prime examples.  But, if we look at the three, we notice that not all are colored equally despite all being toxic. California newts and some species of dart frog for example,  both produce lethal toxins; but why is one brightly colored all over and why is one brightly colored on its underside only?  Is aposematism a better adaptation than camouflage and if so why do some species exhibit both traits?And to confuse matters further, how do we make sense of the following poison frog paradox? -"A frog is poisonous and bad to eat. It's evolved bright warning colors so that predators will avoid it.  But wait! In order for the predator to learn that the frog is poisonous doesn't it have to eat one first anyway?" How does that make any sense!Well, if you feel confused by the poison frog paradox, this is the episode for you! This week I am joined by Dr. Karl Loeffler-Henry and we discuss how he was able to solve this paradox by studying how aposematism evolved and what the tradeoffs are.  We discuss his paper, "Evolutionary transitions from camouflage to aposematism. Hidden signals play a pivotal role," and we talk about how brightly colored organisms survive long enough to warn predators when they are easier to predate than their cryptic peers. Dr. Karl Loeffler-Henry goes on to describe how high degrees of aposematism facilitate speciation, which may partially explain why there are so many different locales of dart frogs. To learn more about this week's topic and Dr. Loeffler-Henry's work, Visit: https://carleton.ca/biology/people/karl-loeffler-henry/https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade5156This Week's episode is sponsored by Gray Ghost Creations. For unique wildlife, reptile, amphibian, and arachnid art visit:https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrayGhostCreationsTo support the podcast by becoming a Patron, for Merch, and for a 10% listener discount off of an In Situ Ecosystems vivarium, visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCastAbout this week's guest:Dr. Karl Loeffler-Henry is a postdoctoral fellow in the Sherratt Lab. His research  focuses on how natural selection influences animal coloration.  He explores evolutionary  questions using a variety of tools including computer-based simulations, phylogenetic comparative analysis, theoretical models, behavioral experiments and biomechanical comparisons.