It happened because in 2006 a group of systematic taxonomists (Grant, et. al.) finished reclassifying the entire Dendrobatidae, even adding superfamilies and subfamilies, along with new generic names for many of them. The new book POISON FROGS, Biology, Species and Captive Husbandry (Lotters, Jungfer, Henkel and Schmidt) have used this system.



This is going to confuse Hobbyists and old dogs like I am for awhile, and there will probably be objections from other systematic categorizers, and we might expect other changes, especially when DNA becomes more affordable and the lineages can be traced more accurately. In the meantime, we may have to put up with it. Fortunately, these guys did retain most of the species names, so a pumilio is still a pumilio, although it is Oophaga pumilio. The thumbnails are now Ranitomeya, but it's still an imitator, amazonica, biolat, etc. And galacts are still galactonotus, although they are no longer Dendrobates, but Adelphobates. Castaneoticus are also now Adelphobates. Phyllobates are pretty much unchanged, but the only frogs left in the Dendrobates are auratus, leucomelas, and tinctorius. Azureus is now considered a morph of tinctorius.



I wonder how taxonomists earn a living--really. Who pays them?
-----
Patty

Pahsimeroi, Idaho



Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

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