# D. auratus Costa Rican or Panamanian?



## Crikkifrogger (Sep 19, 2009)

Hey Froggers,

I bought "Panamanian" D. auratus tadpoles quite some time ago and have raised them to adult size. I have these frogs listed as Panamanian, but I took a picture of them today and they are beginning to look more and more like Costa Ricans (there is no brown). 

Can anybody help me with this ID? I have them for sale and have them listed as Panamanian, so I have to take them down until I figure it out. 

THanks in advance,

Crikki


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

What about the person that sold them to you? Any help on identification there? That's usually the first place to start in these type of situations...



Alex


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## Crikkifrogger (Sep 19, 2009)

Alex, thanks. Not sure if that message is loaded with sarcasm or not, but if it was, as you can tell, I bought them as Panamanian, meaning that is what the original owner sold them as. 
If not, I apologize, but yes, I was originally told they were Panamanian, but they just never developed the brownish color, so I was thinking they were Costa Ricans. But...on another note, they are quite shy.


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

No sarcasm here.

Without the locale information, it's sometimes almost impossible to try and guesstimate a true morph.....Nicaraguan Green and Black look very similar as well to the Costa Ricans


How old are they? Are you still able to contact the seller? Can we have access to pictures of the parents?


Alex


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

I don't see any reason to not consider them "Panamanian Green and Black" auratus. Remember that wild populations don't consists of cookie cutter phenotypes, nor do they differentiate themselves based on our borders and lines on a map. Therefore, it's possible that CR and Panamanian "Green and Black" auratus might actually be the same animal, if for argument's sake, they were from the same population on the Caribbean side but the border between the two countries just happened to run through the middle of the population. 

Be careful to not split too many phenotypic hairs...unless you have valid reason to think you were provided with false information regarding the frogs.


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## Crikkifrogger (Sep 19, 2009)

Thanks everybody. I took Alex's advice and got a pic of the parents. They are indeed Panamanians. I guess mine just are a bit darker than normal. 

Thanks for your help.


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## yours (Nov 11, 2007)

Excellent! Glad you were able to figure things out for the frogs 



Alex


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