Description: Mantella nigricans is a medium-sized mantella, growing to 28 mm (1.1 inches). They are marked in green, brown, and black. At least two distinct color morphs exist, one having a green head, which disintegrates into brown halfway down the dorsum, the other with an entirely black or dark brown head and dorsum, with only green blotches at the insertion of the limbs (superficially resembling some M. pulchra.) M. nigricans is very closely related to M. baroni, and it has been put forward that they can be seen as the northern color morph of M. baroni.

Red List Conservation Status: Least Concern

Distribution and Habitat: Within its wide distribution in northeast Madagascar, M. nigricans lives alongside streams in forested habitat.

Captive Care Notes: M. nigricans is only sporadically available in the North American pet trade, seeming to have been exported in very small numbers when compared to other species. Captive breeding has been reported by at least one person, but captive-bred frogs are not generally available. Captive M. nigricans are somewhat reclusive, with males often calling half-hidden under dried leaves in the terrarium. When out and exposed though they are bold, refusing to hop away even when a hand is in the terrarium performing maintenance. They seem to prefer crickets and Drosophila hydei to smaller foods like Drosophila melanogaster and springtails. M. nigricans lives well in captivity within a wide range of temperatures, with those from 19°C to 26°C (66°F to 79°F) being suitable.

References

IUCN, Conservation International, and NatureServe. 2006. Global Amphibian Assessment. . 8 March 2007.

Rabemananjara, F. C. E., Y. Chiari, O. Ravoahangimalala Ramilijaona & M. Vences. 2007. Evidence for recent gene flow between north-eastern and south-eastern Madagascar from a phylogeography of the Mantella cowani group. Frontiers in Zoology 4: article 1. 

Staniszewski, Marc. Mantellas. 1st ed. Frankfurt: Chimaira, 2001.

Vences, M., F. Glaw & W. Böhme. 1999. A review of the genus Mantella (Anura, Ranidae, Mantellinae): taxonomy, distribution and conservation of Malagasy poison frogs. Alytes 17 (1-2): 3-72.