My Mantella Collection.

Golden Mantella
Nomenclature: Mantella aurantiaca
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Country of Origin: Eastern-central Madagascar.

Information: This species is 1 of 16 species in the Mantella genus all of which use Aposematism as a defence mechanism. Aposematism basically derives from the Greek words that mean "Warning Colours" a defence which has made another family of frogs famous, the Dendrobatidae family (Poison Dart Frogs). Like the rest of the Mantella genus, it is completely terrestrial and is not a fantastic swimmer, but will be found in and around swamp-like and Marshland areas where it will also remain to breed.

It is one of the most endangered (listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List) out of the entire genus and can only be found in a few select places in Eastern-central Madagascar, two places are in the Torotorofotsy Marshlands and the Andromena Forest regions. However, even though it is one of the rarest and most at risk of extinction, it is also one of the most over bred species in captivity being both popular in Zoological collections and the Private Pet Trade.

© 2013 (These are copyrighted photographs, please ask permission before using)

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Brown Leaf Mantella
Nomenclature: Mantella betsileo
IUCN Red List: Least Concern
Country of Origin: Western to Central Madagascar.

Information: This species is 1 of 16 species in the Mantella genus all of which use Aposematism as a defence mechanism. Aposematism basically derives from the Greek words that mean "Warning Colours" a defence which has made another family of frogs famous, the Dendrobatidae family (Poison Dart Frogs). Like the rest of the Mantella genus, it is completely terrestrial and is not a fantastic swimmer, but will be found in and around swampy areas where it will also remain to breed. It's a shy member of the genus, unlike some Mantella species that are more bold and will venture out into the open.

It is one of the most common members of the entire genus and this species is widely distributed in western and southwestern Madagascar, with recent records from Isalo and from the central plateau near Antsirabe. It is a highly adaptable species with little habitat-related threats, though it is believed that Slash and Burn farming and over grazing from live-stock has some major impacts to their decline. However, over collecting for commercial and private purposes is a potential threat to the species (like most of the genus), but doesn't have any apparent or drastic effects.

© 2013 (These are copyrighted photographs, please ask permission before using

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Blue Legged Mantella
Nomenclature: Mantella expectata
1.1.0
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Country of Origin: Isalo Massif, Grotte des Portugais, Amparambatomavo, Ambatovaky, Sakavato, Toliara, Morondava region and Mandena in Madagascar.

Information: This species is 1 of 16 species in the Mantella genus all of which use Aposematism as a defence mechanism. Aposematism basically derives from the Greek words that mean "Warning Colours" a defence which has made another family of frogs famous, the Dendrobatidae family (Poison Dart Frogs). Like the rest of the Mantella genus, it is completely terrestrial and is not a fantastic swimmer, but will be found in and around swampy areas where it will also remain to breed.

It is one of the most uncommon members of the entire genus and this species is only found in a small distribution range in South-eastern Madagascar, including a fragmented distributed range within the Isalo massif (The same area as the Scaphiophryne gottlebei species). It's mainly threatened by the decline of its forest habitat due to subsistence agriculture, timber extraction, charcoal manufacture, invasive spread of eucalyptus, livestock grazing and expanding human settlements. However, over collecting for commercial and private purposes is a potential threat to the species (like most of the genus), but doesn't have any apparent or drastic effects.

© 2013 (These are copyrighted photographs, please ask permission before using

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Yellow Mantella
Nomenclature: Mantella crocea
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Country of Origin: Eastern-Central Madagascar.

Information: This species is 1 of 16 species in the Mantella genus all of which use Aposematism as a defence mechanism. Aposematism basically derives from the Greek words that mean "Warning Colours" a defence which has made another family of frogs famous, the Dendrobatidae family (Poison Dart Frogs). Like the rest of the Mantella genus, it is completely terrestrial and is not a fantastic swimmer, but will be found in and around swampy areas where it will also remain to breed.

It is classed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and can only be found in Eastern-central Madagascar, from a few localities covering a very small area including; Ifoha west of Parc National de Mantadia, a forest area east of Ambohimanarivo and outside the Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Zahamena. This species is (like most of Madagascar's Wildlife) mainly threatened by Habitat-loss through Agricultural expansion from Crop planting and livestock grazing land, Expansion of Human Settlements and Logging for Timber. It is believed to be mildly threatened by Collection for the Pet Trade, however this hasn't shown any signs of a lasting or drastic effect to their decline.

© 2013 (These are copyrighted photographs, please ask permission before using

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Green Mantella
Nomenclature: Mantella viridis
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Country of Origin: Top-Northern Madagascar.

Information: This species is 1 of 16 species in the Mantella genus all of which use Aposematism as a defence mechanism. Aposematism basically derives from the Greek words that mean "Warning Colours" a defence which has made another family of frogs famous, the Dendrobatidae family (Poison Dart Frogs).

It is one of the most endangered out of the entire genus and can only be found in a few select places in Top-Northern Madagascar, in the Fôret d’Ambre Special Reserve, Montagne des Français, Antogombato, Andranotsymaty, Antsahampano, Ivovona, Anjiabe, Andoajampoana, Mangoaka, Antsiranana, Ankitsakalaninaombi, Daraina, Mahavavona, Joffreville, Francom and the island of Nosy Hara. It is one of the rarest and most at risk of extinction and one of the least kept species in the genus.

© 2013 (These are copyrighted photographs, please ask permission before using

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Arboreal Mantella
Nomenclature: Mantella laevigata
IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
Country of Origin: Ambavala, Ambodimanga (Mananara), Folohy, Marojejy, Nosy Mangabe, Tsararano in Madagascar.

Information: This species is 1 of 16 species in the Mantella genus all of which use Aposematism as a defence mechanism. Aposematism basically derives from the Greek words that mean "Warning Colours" a defence which has made another family of frogs famous, the Dendrobatidae family (Poison Dart Frogs). This species is probably one of the oddest within the entire genus, being completely unique and showing a few similarities to the Oophaga genus of Central America. Just like the Oophaga (Greek for "Egg-eater") genus they provide their offspring with an infertile egg to feed upon, they are also more arboreal than other members of the Mantella genus which is quite a lot like their Dendrobatidae (Poison Dart Frogs) counterparts. It's a shy member of the genus, unlike some Mantella species that are more bold and will venture out into the open.

It is one of the most common members of the entire genus and this species is widely distributed in North-eastern Madagascar, with recent records from Marojejy south to Folohy. It's mainly threatened by the decline of its forest habitat due to subsistence agriculture, timber extraction, charcoal manufacture, invasive spread of eucalyptus, livestock grazing and expanding human settlements. However, over collecting for commercial and private purposes is a potential threat to the species (like most of the genus), but doesn't have any apparent or drastic effects.

© 2013 (These are copyrighted photographs, please ask permission before using

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velasco13000 said:

where do you keep these guys?? do you have pictures of their enclosure? I have a huge empty exo terra tank and i want to make a vivarium but i need help..dont know where to begin ...any pictures or suggestions?

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grius said:

Nice frogs and great pictures!

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do you have pictures of their enclosure?

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velasco13000 said:

thank you sooo much I really appreciate it i have a huge exo tank that i want to set up ..I have been looking at several threads on how to make one...did you find that thread for me? your tank looks awesome though!!! btw what kind of temperature do you keep the frogs at?

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KrisztianNemeth said:

Wow amazing frogs!
How on earth do you find spawn in that sort of a setup with out digging up everything?

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Herphunter1998 said:

Nice Mantella! makes me wanna use my big empty exo terra tank and fill it up with Mantella haha the gold ones are really cool.

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KrisztianNemeth said:

Im thinking of getting some blue legged and climbing mantella but is it possible to get unrelated pairs? And is it worth breeding them?

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The Blue-legged Mantella (Mantella expectata) is harder to breed than some of the genus and Arboreal/Climbing Mantella (Mantella expectata) aren't as bad but are just a little more difficult to breed than others lol Breeding is worthwhile, especially with the M.laevigata as they share similarities to the Oophaga pumilio species of the Neotropics which is very unusual and interesting to see in a Malagasy species.

You can find a lot of CB and WC M.expectata around in the UK which are potentially unrelated specimens but the M.laevigata mostly come from one chap, Marc Staniszewski who is the owner of Dartfrog.co.uk and the discoverer of Mantella milotympanum. I am not sure if he has several breeding pairs or not of the M.laevigata but he might do, but not many people breed this species openly.

I would suggest however that you start with the more 'common' species first which is the Golden Mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) rather than one of the harder species. These are prolific breeders and regardless of requiring lower temperatures or 18-23'c, they are a lot easier to keep and breed! (At the end of the day though everything is easy if you research it enough lol)

TylototritonGuy said:

The Blue-legged Mantella (Mantella expectata) is harder to breed than some of the genus and Arboreal/Climbing Mantella (Mantella expectata) aren't as bad but are just a little more difficult to breed than others lol Breeding is worthwhile, especially with the M.laevigata as they share similarities to the Oophaga pumilio species of the Neotropics which is very unusual and interesting to see in a Malagasy species.

You can find a lot of CB and WC M.expectata around in the UK which are potentially unrelated specimens but the M.laevigata mostly come from one chap, Marc Staniszewski who is the owner of Dartfrog.co.uk and the discoverer of Mantella milotympanum. I am not sure if he has several breeding pairs or not of the M.laevigata but he might do, but not many people breed this species openly.

I would suggest however that you start with the more 'common' species first which is the Golden Mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) rather than one of the harder species. These are prolific breeders and regardless of requiring lower temperatures or 18-23'c, they are a lot easier to keep and breed! (At the end of the day though everything is easy if you research it enough lol)

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KrisztianNemeth said:

I have been keeping aurantiaca for more than a year now And thanks for the info! Could we see some more of your setups by any chance?

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