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.
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