What is a poison dart frog?

Poison dart frogs are native to Central and South America and are famous for their vivid colors and potent skin toxins. Their toxicity in the wild is linked to compounds obtained from their diet, especially certain insects and mites, which they store in their skin. Indigenous peoples historically used the toxins of some species to coat blow darts, which is how the frogs got their common name. Not all species are equally toxic, and captive-bred frogs often lose much of their toxicity because of different diets.