# D.Auratus ... Different Colors???



## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Hey Everyone - 

I was given a Costa Rican Grn/Blk auratus by a friend. I/they were pretty sure it was a Male (he is long and slim) ...

So i bought a Female (shes more of a pear shape) for him and recieved it today.

My question is this: they r both a different shade of green ... 

The M is like a mint green and the F is more of a lime green.

Is it normal to have different shades of green in the same species?

Thx all.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Heres a pic of the newly acquired Female ... 

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## Fraservet (Feb 19, 2012)

yes, there can be quite a big variation in colour depending on origin, breeding and also diet.

of course, it could also be a different morph - I don't know enough about auratus morphs to help - but more likely just variation.

pictures might help


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

I posted pics of female ... 

Still waiting for the male to come out of hiding.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Heres the Male ... 


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Heres a side by side of the pics incase that will help















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## Kalakole (Jun 30, 2011)

They look like two different morphs.. actually the one on the right looks almost blue.. any chance of a better picture?


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Kalakole said:


> They look like two different morphs.. actually the one on the right looks almost blue.. any chance of a better picture?


Sorry ... its the best i can do right now.

But hes not blue, like i said, hes like a mint green.

They r both costa rican green/blacks. (As far as i know ... i think the male was macs poison and the female is brians tropicals)


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## mydumname (Dec 24, 2004)

I got a 2.1 group and they all look similar. You really just have to trust the seller that what they are saying is true. But your photo is tough to tell, it appears the plants in the two look like different shades, possibly lighting. Maybe a photo of two next to eachother would avoid having lighting differences that happen in the two different photos.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

It is possible for different individuals of the same line to vary in color/pattern, and these apparent differences can be amplified depending on the lighting and the angle at which the photos were taken. A better comparison would have both animals in the same frame.

Both your frogs came from different sources, so I wouldn't be surprised about a variability in two populations that have been breeding independently of each other. If both the sources from which you got the frogs are trustworthy I wouldn't be very concerned about their morph.

And for further reference, here is an auratus morph guide:
Dendrobates auratus Morphguide


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

hypostatic said:


> It is possible for different individuals of the same line to vary in color/pattern, and these apparent differences can be amplified depending on the lighting and the angle at which the photos were taken. A better comparison would have both animals in the same frame.
> 
> Both your frogs came from different sources, so I wouldn't be surprised about a variability in two populations that have been breeding independently of each other. If both the sources from which you got the frogs are trustworthy I wouldn't be very concerned about their morph.
> 
> ...


I trust both sources. The only pic i could get both of them in together, the glass was foggy, but i did post that pic.

I just wanted to make sure that it was indeed possible for a species/morph to have a different shade of color.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

hypostatic said:


> And for further reference, here is an auratus morph guide:
> Dendrobates auratus Morphguide


Using that link; the 4th pic/morph:

Those have diff color variation of the same morph ... and for reference, that is about the color of both my frogs (obviously not that morph tho)


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

In the 4th morph, I actually believe that both pictures are of the same frog, as they have the same markings viewed from different angles.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

hypostatic said:


> In the 4th morph, I actually believe that both pictures are of the same frog, as they have the same markings viewed from different angles.


No, look again ... marking is different on the butt.
(The left one has a central black dot in the middle of its butt/back and the one on right has two marks on the side instead)

But either way, i was just pointing out that those 2 pics were representative of the difference in shade of green of my two frogs.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I believe that "butt spot" is the same on both animals, they are both clearly visible appearing on the back arch, which would indicate they are in the same place. I reorientated one of the pictures and placed some markings of corresponding colors to show which are the same markings (there is a red line through the back arch spot where the arch is).


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Gamble said:


> But either way, i was just pointing out that those 2 pics were representative of the difference in shade of green of my two frogs.


Hey hey now ... look at u! Ok point taken! Lol 

Like my quote said tho:

But seriously, like someone said ... i just wanted to know if different shades were possible in the same morph n someone said it was, so my mind is at ease

Thx everyone for ur responses! Ur all helpful like always!


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## Rusty_Shackleford (Sep 2, 2010)

There is usually a fair amount of variability amongst a certain population. My El Cope auratus group has some frogs that are more blue turquoise and some a more greenish turquoise. The pattern of spots is more a function of the parents genes. Meaning that while a parent may pass down a certain pattern of spots it is not a trait of that species, for example take my auratus. One of my males in my breeding group has an elongated bronze spot that runs the length of his back. I've noticed several froglets I've produced also have that same elongated spot on their backs. Now that is not a trait of D. auratus El Cope, it's just a trait of that particular male I have. If you tried to identify every El Cope auratus based on that elongated spot you would fail miserably. Think about leucs and how hard it would be to identify them just based on spot pattern alone. 


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Have you contacted both sources to find out history/lineage information about where the two frogs came from (hopefully they can be traced back to the same import date/batch)? Otherwise you're just speculating and splitting hairs...or spots.


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## jeeperrs (Jan 14, 2010)

Rusty_Shackleford said:


> There is usually a fair amount of variability amongst a certain population. My El Cope auratus group has some frogs that are more blue turquoise and some a more greenish turquoise. The pattern of spots is more a function of the parents genes. Meaning that while a parent may pass down a certain pattern of spots it is not a trait of that species, for example take my auratus. One of my males in my breeding group has an elongated bronze spot that runs the length of his back. I've noticed several froglets I've produced also have that same elongated spot on their backs. Now that is not a trait of D. auratus El Cope, it's just a trait of that particular male I have. If you tried to identify every El Cope auratus based on that elongated spot you would fail miserably. Think about leucs and how hard it would be to identify them just based on spot pattern alone.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone via Tapatalk


I was going to post the same thing about my El Cope. In my pictures the lighting makes it hard to tell because I had to stand 8 feet away from the tank for my lens to focus. But, I have one that is much more green and another that is very blue. Mine all came from the same source.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Well i guess we knocked 2 birds out w/ 1 stone! Lol ...


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

They both look like typical Costa Ricans to me...


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

fieldnstream said:


> They both look like typical Costa Ricans to me...


Yes, ive verified that they r from both parties i obtained them from. I just didnt realize there could be color diffrences in the same species. But now that i know its possible, im no longer concerned. 

Now if only they could make me some babies!


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## rachel1 (Apr 12, 2012)

I have three D. Auratus green and black froglets all from the same breeder, and 2 are mint and the third is lime green. There is a distinct difference when you look at them side by side. I assumed it was just a variation within the morph.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Well i guess its no different than suriname cobalts having different patterns individual to each frog. Ive owned and seen quite a few and each one looked different.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Gamble said:


> Yes, ive verified that they r from both parties i obtained them from.




That should be pretty obvious: the real concern is whether the frogs from each different party came from the same importation and, by extension, are from the same wild population. If you can't trace them back beyond the parties from whom you received them, then there is still question as to whether or not you have a CR auratus and a turquoise Panamanian one.


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

I always see the morph description for G/B Costa Rican says the locality stretches all the way from Nicaragua to Pamana. If they are both Atlantic/Carribean side, are there no isolated locales that should be considered?
I know the Pacific side is a different morph. I rarely see a distinction between Pacific vs Atlantic, anyone know why that is?


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Because, as far as I know, frogs from the Pacific Versant of Costa Rica have never been collected for introduction into the hobby.


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