Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello- I hope someone on this forum can answer this for me...How does the genetics of the different Dendrobates auratus color morphs work? Are they different genes for the same species, or non-interbreeding subspecies? Do they follow simple Mendelian genetics or not? I guess the real question is will different color morphs interbreed and if so, what is the phenotype of the offspring? If anyone can point me to a good website or book that would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks!
-Byron

So far I haven't found any specific references on dart frog genetics either. All I can tell you is that the different color morphs do indeed cross breed, as do some of the closely related species such as D. tinctorius and D. azureus. The taxonomy of darts is not yet clearly defined, though a lot of people are working on it. From what I read, there is no fossil record to help understand the evolution of these frogs, either. Since cross breeding morphs is generally frowned upon in the hobby and trade, I don't think a lot of studies are going on.

I'll look around some more, because it is an interesting subject.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
4 P. terribilis
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus

"Morphs" in PDFs have a completely different definition that "morphs" in the herp hobby. They are not genetic variations like an albino or what not (mandelian genetics) which are typically man-made morphs. PDF morphs are "nature-made", and are populations that for various reasions, often environmental, that have limited genetic flow with nearby populations (which is how they develop such different characteristics such as pattern and size). Morphs are lower than subspecies, and are just variations of a species over its range. These populations not only vary in color and size, but may also have some behavioral characteristics that allow them to best fit the environmental niche they inhabit (some D. pumilio morphs are seasonal breeders, while others breed year around, it has to do with the climate in which they live).

Morphs can interbreed, and will in captivity (many species will as well), and they look like a mix of the parental species. I currently have a Hawaiian cross, most likely with a Panama G&B, in which she has hawaiian pattern, panama G&B color, and size intermediate between the morphs. In the wild these morphs would not interact and breed for a variety of reasons, mainly geographic (Hawaiian ancestors are from and island population, while the other is mainland) and environmental niche. Two morphs can live right next to each other, and rarely interact due to niche - for example one lives in a drier area than the other, or one is montane while the other is lowlands, and with each population adapted to their area, there is little traveling from one area into another.

Eventually morphs may evolve to the point where even tho they are the same species, they are so pheonotypically different that the populations will not interbreed (except in captivity under certain conditions) where for various reasons (size, pattern, color) they don't even recognize the other frog as being their species, cuz they breed with like frogs (one of my theories being the frogs they grow up around) and that frog doesn't look like a like frog! "Ok, I SWORE I heard a boy over here, but all there is is this weird looking frog, wth." This has been seen in D. pumilio populations.