Author: Rosannette Quesada

Gaige's Rain Frog Pristimantis gaigei Photo by Rafael Lau Gaige's Rain Frog, also known as Fort Randolph Robber Frog and False Dart Frog, is a species of frog belonging to the family Craugastoridae. It is distributed from southwest Costa Rica to western Colombia. Interestingly, Gaige's Rain Frogs present color variation throughout their distribution. The populations found in Colombia have brownish cryptic colorations, while individuals from Central American populations, including those in Panama, are black or brown with bright yellow or orange dorso-lateral bands, making them highly conspicuous. Frogs with this coloration are considered to be mimicking individuals of the Striped Poison Dart Frog (or Lovely Poison Frog) Phyllobates lugubris, which also have paired dorso-lateral stripes that can either be yellow, orange, gold, or turquoise. The bright coloration in this frog is aposematic, which means that it serves as a warning to possible predators, given that these frogs possess skin toxins. Although Striped Poison Dart Frogs are not as toxic as other species within the genus Phyllobates, Gaige's Rain Frogs’ bright coloration is considered a case of Batesian mimicry, which is when a non-toxic species mimics the coloration of a toxic species. However, a recent study performed in Panama and published in 2020 in the scientific journal Mesoamericana reported the presence of alkaloids in the skin of individuals of Gaige's Rain Frog collected in the Bocas del Toro and Panama Oeste provinces, evidencing that Gaige's Rain Frogs imitating the coloration of the Striped Poison Dart Frog might be a case of Müllerian mimicry, in which two or more toxic species mimic each other’s honest warning signals. These findings hold significant implications for future evolutionary studies and research regarding defense strategies in these frogs. However, the study was performed with only one individual of each species, and studies with a bigger sample

Ruby-topaz Hummingbird Chrysolampis mosquitus Photo by Carlos Bethancourt The Ruby-topaz Hummingbird is an amazing hummingbird distributed mostly in South America. It can be found in Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname (which is the type locality—the geographical location where the specimen used to describe the species was originally found), the Guianas, Trinidad and Tobago and two other small Caribbean islands, northern, central, and eastern Brazil, parts of Bolivia, and some confirmed records in very specific locations in Argentina and Peru. Its distribution actually starts in eastern Panama, where it is very uncommon. Luckily this astonishing bird species visits the Canopy Camp’s gardens during Panama’s dry season. It usually frequents the plants in the gardens, but lately, it has been visiting our feeders too, offering an amazing opportunity to photograph this hummingbird. The male is unmistakable and dazzling when hit by light, with a glowing ruby crown and nape, an iridescent orange-yellow throat, and a bright orange tail. The female’s most distinctive feature is her chestnut tail feathers with a white tip. The body is green above and mostly light gray below, and in both sexes, the bill is small compared to other hummingbirds. The Ruby-topaz Hummingbird inhabits forest edges, shrubby areas, gardens, and open savannas. Little research regarding the Ruby-topaz has been performed, and most studies only describe its recent records, DNA characterization, and flower visitation patterns in Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago. Therefore, there is still so much more to learn about this striking hummingbird. In the meantime, you can visit the Canopy Camp to spot this amazing species and many more!