All of the amphibians of New Zealand are either from the endemic genus Leiopelma or are one of the introduced species, of which three are extant. Pepeketua is the eponymized Māori word.[1][2][3]
Unique characteristics
Members of the genus Leiopelma exhibit a number of basal traits that separate them from most other species. These traits include: vestigial tail-wagging muscles, cartilaginous inscriptional ribs, the presence of amphicoelous vertebrae, and nine presachral vertebrae (most frogs have eight). In addition, Leiopelma lack external ear drums and produce only limited vocalizations.
Species
Native
| Scientific name | Common name | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Leiopelma archeyi | Archey's frog |  |
| Leiopelma hamiltoni | Hamilton's frog |  |
| Leiopelma hochstetteri | Hochstetter's frog | |
| Leiopelma auroraensis | Aurora frog | EX |
| Leiopelma markhami | Markham's frog | EX |
| Leiopelma waitomoensis | Waitomo frog | EX |
Introduced
| Scientific name | Common name | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Ranoidea aurea | Green and golden bell frog |  |
| Ranoidea raniformis | Growling grass frog |  |
| Litoria ewingii | Southern brown tree frog |  |
See also
References
Further reading
- D.G. Newman (1996). "Native frog (Leiopelma ssp.) recovery plan" (PDF). Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand.
External links
- New Zealand Frog Conservation Biology - research on New Zealand frog biology
- New Zealand Frog Research Group - information and resources on frog conservation from the University of Otago
- EcoGecko - New Zealand herpetology consultant/research
- Frogs at the Department of Conservation
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