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Quick answer
The golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) is a thumbnail-sized bright-orange frog of eastern Madagascar rainforests. Adults weigh about 2 g, secrete skin alkaloids, and are listed Critically Endangered.
Top questions about the Golden Mantella
Golden Mantella facts at a glance
- Weight 2 g
- Length 3 cm
- Top speed 2 km/h
- Lifespan 8 years
| Scientific name | Mantella aurantiaca |
|---|---|
| Diet | Insectivore |
| Habitat | Swamp forest |
| Lifespan | 8–10 years |
| Weight | 0.001–0.003 kg |
| Top speed | up to 2 km/h |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered (IUCN) |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Amphibia |
| Order | Anura |
| Family | Mantellidae |
| Genus | Mantella |
Where it lives
The golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) is native to Eastern Madagascar rainforest. — recorded across Africa in this guide’s range summary.
For occurrence records, see GBIF species search and sources below.
How big is a golden mantella?
An adult golden mantella measures 3 cm long — about 1% of the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 2 g, a small fraction of an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).
Length vs an average adult’s height (to scale)
What is a group of golden mantellas called?
Group name (collective noun)
A group of Golden Mantellas is called an army.
Baby name
A baby Golden Mantella is called a tadpole.
Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .
Jewel frog of the swamp forest
Mantellas are tiny, day-active frogs with aposematic orange, green, or black patterns. Skin alkaloids deter predators — convergent with poison dart frogs of the Americas.
Ants and termites on the forest floor
Tiny insects provide food and may supply defensive alkaloids sequestered in skin. They move in small groups near seepages and leaf litter.
Eastern Madagascar swamp forest
Restricted to humid forest near Moramanga and Andasibe. They need clean leaf litter and seeping water — microhabitats within rainforest.
Critically Endangered jewel
IUCN lists golden mantella Critically Endangered. Collection for the pet trade and forest clearing for rice shrank wild sites to a handful of localities.
Explore the Golden Mantella
Related Amphibians
Collections
Range & geography
Conservation status of the Golden Mantella
The golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Critically Endangered (CR) is the highest-risk category the IUCN Red List assigns to a wild species before Extinct in the Wild. It means a species faces an extremely high probability of extinction — usually because its population has collapsed, its range has shrunk drastically, or very few mature individuals remain. Species at this level typically depend on active conservation to survive.
Main threats to the golden mantella
- Habitat loss from mining and agriculture in Madagascar
- Collection for the international pet trade
- Chytrid fungus and disease
- Pollution of stream microhabitats
Golden Mantella (Mantella aurantiaca) was most recently assessed for the IUCN Red List in 2014. Look up on the IUCN Red List .
Frequently asked questions about the Golden Mantella
Are golden mantellas poisonous?
Skin alkaloids make them unpalatable; bright colour warns predators — similar strategy to poison dart frogs.
How big is a golden mantella?
About 2–2.5 cm long — small enough to sit on a thumbnail.
Why is the golden mantella Critically Endangered?
Tiny range, pet trade collection, and rainforest clearing destroyed most wild populations.
Where can you see golden mantellas?
Protected forests near Andasibe-Mantadia National Park in eastern Madagascar.
Do mantellas care for their young?
They lay eggs on land near water; tadpoles wash into pools — no parental back-brooding like Surinam toads.
What is a group of golden mantellas called?
A group of Golden Mantellas is called an army.
What is a baby golden mantella called?
A baby Golden Mantella is called a tadpole.
Sources & references
This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Golden Mantella:
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IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Conservation status (Critically Endangered) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Mantella aurantiaca, most recently assessed in 2014.
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iNaturalist — observations & photos
Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Mantella aurantiaca. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.
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GBIF — occurrence data
Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Mantella aurantiaca. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.
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