Epipedobates is a genus of poison dart frogs native to northern South America (Colombia and Ecuador) west of the Andes, including the western slopes. Common name phantasmal poison frogs has been suggested for the genus.
Taxonomy Epipedobates was erected in 1987 in an attempt to split dendrobatids into monophyletic genera, accommodating species that had until then been placed in Phyllobates. In the major revision of poison dart frogs in 2006, most of the species formerly placed in Epipedobates were then transferred to Ameerega, leaving behind just five species. The species count of Epipedobates had increased to eight by early 2025.
Description Dorsal colouration is cryptic, brown. A pale oblique lateral stripe is present. Dorsal skin is smooth or with irregularly scattered granules or tubercles, most distinct and prevalent posteriorly. In adult males, third finger is swollen.
Species There are seven valid described species, listed below. Genetic evidence suggests that there is an eighth valid species that is undescribed as of 2024. Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Epipedobates narinensis (Mueses-Cisneros, Cepeda-Quilindo, and Moreno-Quintero, 2008) ColombiaEpipedobates currulaoSouthwestern Colombia Epipedobates boulengeri (Barbour, 1909) marbled poison frog or marbled poison-arrow frog Colombia (Cauca, Nariño, Valle del Cauca Departments, including Gorgona Island) and northwestern Ecuador Epipedobates espinosai (Funkhouser, 1956) Ecuador Epipedobates machalilla (Coloma, 1995) West Ecuador Epipedobates tricolor (Boulenger, 1899) Phantasmal poison frog Ecuador Epipedobates anthonyi (Noble, 1921) Anthony's poison arrow frog Ecuador and Peru.
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