Description
Ranitomeya fantastica ‘Nominal’ is a striking Peruvian thumbnail dart frog, associated with the Yurimaguas-area form of R. fantastica. This species is endemic to Peru, especially the San Martín and Loreto regions, where it occurs in wet forest habitats and uses leaf litter, low vegetation, bromeliads, and other small water-holding sites for reproduction.
The nominal form is known for its high-contrast patterning, often with a bright yellow-to-orange head, pale collar or shoulder banding, dark body patterning, and blue reticulated legs. Males have a distinct buzzing call that is usually easy to hear outside the enclosure. R. fantastica can often be kept in small groups, especially with good structure and visual barriers.
They do well with leaf litter, bromeliads, broad-leaved plants, cork, and horizontal film canisters or similar deposition sites. Males transport tadpoles, but there is little parental care after deposition. They feed well on Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies and springtails when small. Captive-bred animals from Holotypica are raised with care and offered only once they are feeding well and established.
