| Colostethus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Colostethus pratti | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Dendrobatidae |
| Subfamily: | Colostethinae |
| Genus: | Colostethus Cope, 1866 |
| Diversity | |
| 12 species (seetext) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Colostethus is agenus ofpoison dart frogs native to Central and South America, from Panama south to Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru. Their common name isrocket frogs,[1] but this name may refer to frogs in other genera and families, following the taxonomic revision of the genus in 2006.[2]
Formerly, the genusColostethus was found to be "rampantlynonmonophyletic" in the taxonomic revision ofpoison dart frogs published in 2006.[3] Before the revision, it had 138 species, but this was reduced to 18 species, after species of the formerColostethus were distributed among eight genera in two families, that is, in Dendrobatidae and in the newly established familyAromobatidae (e..g.,Anomaloglossus). Within Dendrobatidae, many formerColostethus species were moved toHyloxalus, while three were moved to the new genusSilverstoneia.[3] Nevertheless,Colostethus is still consideredparaphyletic because someColostethus are more closely related toAmeerega than to otherColostethus.[1]
Dorsal colouration is cryptic, brown. A pale oblique lateral stripe is present (but may be broken or incomplete). Dorsal skin is granular posteriorly. In adult males, third finger is swollen.[3]
There are currently 12 species in this genus:[1]
Media related toColostethus at Wikimedia Commons