The phantasmal poison frog or phantasmal poison-arrow frog (Epipedobates tricolor) is a species of poison dart frog first described in 1899 by Boulenger. It is endemic to Ecuador, specifically the Andean slopes of central Ecuador in Bolívar Province. They are known for their radiant warm colors and distinct lightly colored stripes and blotches that run along the length of their body. They are one of the most poisonous animals on the planet, with a poison hundreds of times stronger than morphine. All of their fingers are partially webbed, and their first finger is longer than their second. The dorsal surface is usually green or yellow and there are longitudinal stripes.
Distribution and habitat
The phantasmal poison frog is known only from a number of locations in central Ecuador on the Andean slopes of Bolívar Province, at heights of between above sea level. The species inhabits the Chocoan tropical and subtropical rain forest in Ecuador. Its natural habitat is in the leaf litter on the floor of the tropical forest, especially near streams, and in inland wetlands. They are also found in banana and cacao plantations, and pastures near streams. Its habitat is very similar to other species of the poison dart frog family such as the dyeing dart frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) and the green-and-black dart frog (Dendrobates auratus).
Biology
thumb|Mating phantasmal poison frogs in [[amplexus.]]
Reproductive behavior and parental care: The eggs are laid in leaf litter, and the clutch sizes are around 10 eggs. The males stand guard for the eggs and later in their development carry the tadpoles on their back to bodies of water, which provides a safe haven for the tadpoles to develop.
Behavior: The Phantasmal Dart Frog is diurnal. While many of the poisons from the Epipedobates clade of poison frogs is exogenous, as they metabolize certain alkaloids found in their prey, research has not concluded if this applies to E. Tricolor.
Close relatives: Phantasmal poison frogs live in similar areas to Epipedobates machalilla, despite the fact that the two to occupy slightly different environmental niches. Both of their population distributions are small, causing overlap with that of E. machalilla. Genetic analysis places phantasmal poison frog clades within E. machalilla clades and suggests that the phantasmal poison frog diverged recently via either peripheral speciation or high phenotypic divergence
Diet
The phantasmal poison frog's diet is based on the consumption of insects. In their habitat in the Andes mountains, their diet consists of insects includes ants, termites, and beetles.