Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
The phantasmal poison frog (Epipedobates bicolor) is native to the Andean slopes of central Ecuador, where it typically dwells in leaf litter near streams of tropical dry forests. It is sometimes appropriately called the candy cane frog due to its coloration. Like other poison frogs, they feed mainly on small insects.
Papo released a toy of E. bicolor in 2024, which they billed simply as a “poison dart frog” in English but the original translation from French showed it was intended to be E. bicolor. Prior to that, they had released four other poison frogs, but they all used the exact same mould, such as the green-and-black poison dart frog reviewed here by yours truly. This one, however, is a totally new mould. It is sculpted in a sitting pose with its head and torso raised high and proud. It is nearly 4 cm tall and 5 cm long, making it larger than the real animal, which is usually only about 2.3 cm long from snout to rump.
This frog is coloured blood red with creamy stripes and spots on its body and limbs. Its eyes are shiny metallic gold with black pupils and its nostrils and closed mouth are black. It looks very nice indeed alongside the other two poison frogs in our family animal collection.
The frog’s skin is smooth all over with nary a wrinkle to speak of. But it is still painstakingly crafted to give it the appearance of a real animal. There is a prominent arch on the back and the bulging eyes are proportionally smaller than those of other poison frogs. The snout is also pointier. The limbs appear taut and ready to hop at a moment’s notice. The digits are thin and dainty, and end in bulging tips.
I would have to say that this is Papo’s best poison frog figure to date, with a great paint job and great sculpting. Recommended.
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