Oophaga pumilio “Escudo”

Natural History

The Escudo locality is a color morph of Oophaga pumilio native to Isla Escudo de Veraguas off the Caribbean coast of Panama. In the wild, these frogs inhabit humid tropical rainforest on this isolated island, where they live among dense leaf litter, fallen branches, and low vegetation in consistently warm, high-humidity conditions.

Description

This locality is known for its vibrant red to orange body coloration, often paired with contrasting blue or bluish-black limbs. Escudo pumilio are among the more visually striking island localities, with bold coloration that can show slight variation in intensity between individuals.

Social Behavior

Best kept as established pairs. Oophaga pumilio are highly territorial and should not be group housed, as aggression is common outside of breeding pairs.

Minimum Enclosure Size

A minimum of 18” x 18” x 18” is recommended for a pair.

Care Difficulty

Intermediate