Carbondale: SIU Researchers Name Three New Poison Dart Frog Species From the Amazon

Three tiny frogs from the Amazon rainforest now carry the name of a Carbondale research team. Southern Illinois University Carbondale scientists described and named three new species of poison dart frogs this week, marking a significant step forward in understanding biodiversity in one of the world's most threatened ecosystems.

The work was led by Jason Brown, an associate professor in SIU's School of Biological Sciences, along with recent doctoral graduate BreAnn Geralds. The three species were formally published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, the process required by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature to recognize a new animal species.

A 23-Year Obsession With Poison Frogs

Brown's career with poison dart frogs spans 23 years. His fascination began as a teenager keeping the frogs as pets and building terrariums that replicated rainforest environments.

"As a teenager, I kept several species of poison frogs as pets," Brown said. "I became obsessed with creating naturalistic terrariums that were tiny replicas of the rainforest."

Brown has made multiple trips to the Amazon rainforests of Peru and Brazil to collect genetic samples, measurements, photographs, and behavioral data. Several SIU students have joined him on these expeditions, including Geralds, who earned her doctorate in zoology from SIU this May.

The Three New Species

The research team described the following three species:

• Yaminawá Poison Frog (Ranitomeya ichapama)
• Inti Poison Frog (Ameerega kuriiniti)
• Taboca Poison Frog (Ranitomeya hwata)

Geralds is listed as a co-author on two of the three published journal articles.

The Yaminawá Poison Frog: A Rare Discovery

The Yaminawá Poison Frog is what Brown calls "incredibly rare." Scientists have known about the frog for more than 20 years, but its elusive nature made it nearly impossible to study. Researchers have collected only six specimens during biodiversity surveys in lowland forests of western Brazil and southeastern Peru.

Brown borrowed three of those six specimens from museums to conduct his genetic analysis.

"When samples are difficult to obtain, it can be hard to determine if something is a new species or a strange morph of something we already know," Brown said. "When they are super rare like this frog, it takes decades to collect enough data to make this determination."

The frog has a bright yellow color pattern with a thin yellow stripe down its back. The stripe splits at the tip of the nose to form an oval on the snout, a feature no other frog in the group consistently shares.

The scientific name Ranitomeya ichapama and the common name Yaminawá honor the indigenous Yaminawá people who live where the frog is found. In their native language, "ichapama" means "rare" or "few."

The Inti Poison Frog: A Case of Mistaken Identity

For the past 50 years, the Inti Poison Frog was misclassified as a morph of Ameerega bassleri, another poison frog species. Pet stores in North America, Europe, and Japan sold the frog under that incorrect name.

The medium-large frog has golden coloration and a lineage dating back millions of years. It also produces a statistically unique mating call.

"Inti Poison Frogs have a call sound that is statistically unique," Geralds said. "We can see differences in the notes and frequencies. This is important because only males make these calls for mating."

The scientific name Ameerega kuriiniti recognizes the Kichwa-Lamista indigenous people. "Kuriinti" combines two Kichwa words: "kuri" meaning "golden" and "inti" meaning "sun." The common name, Inti Poison Frog, references the frog's mating call, which occurs most intensely during sunrise and sunset.

"I hope that the decision to name these frogs using the Kichwa language reflects the utmost respect," Geralds said. "We get to pay homage to the people, land, and these beautiful frogs."

The Taboca Poison Frog: A Different Mating Strategy

The Taboca Poison Frog is defined by a distinct black band around its throat and its own unique DNA fingerprint. Brown noted the frog has been genetically distinct for millions of years.

The species also stands out for its mating behavior. While close relatives are monogamous, the Taboca male appears to prefer multiple females per breeding site. The frogs use Guadua bamboo for shelter and reproduction.

The scientific name Ranitomeya hwata honors the Manxineru people, who use "hwata" as a generic term for bamboo. The common name, Taboca, comes from the Portuguese word for the specific type of spiny bamboo where these frogs dwell.

Why It Matters

Both Brown and Geralds said the research underscores the urgency of protecting the Amazon from deforestation. New species descriptions provide a baseline for understanding what is at risk.

"How do we know what we're losing, if we don't know what's there?" Geralds asked. "How do we know what's at risk? We must continue doing this type of research to truly grasp what the rainforest offers, and poison frogs play a small but vital role."

Brown added that future research could uncover the frogs' potential value for medicinal uses.

The three new species descriptions were published in June 2026. Brown and Geralds said the work is far from finished. Questions remain about the population size of the Yaminawá Poison Frog and how many other Amazonian species have yet to be discovered or are currently misclassified.