Leiopelma
__NOTOC__ Leiopelma is a genus of New Zealand primitive frogs, belonging to the suborder Archaeobatrachia. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Leiopelmatidae. The leiopelmatids' unique and ancestral features indicate they are part of an ancient lineage. While some taxonomists have suggested combining the North American frogs of the genus Ascaphus in the family Ascaphidae with the New Zealand frogs of the genus Leiopelma in the family Leiopelmatidae, the current consensus is that these two groups constitute two separate families. The three extant species of Leiopelmatidae are only foun
Species
Hochstetter's Frog
GENUS
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassAmphibia
- OrderAnura
- FamilyLeiopelmatidae
Observations267
via GBIF
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Leiopelmatidae
- Image
- Leiopelma pakeka01.jpg
Show 3 more facts
Article
9 sectionsContents
- Overview
- Taxonomy & systematics
- Species
- Extinct species
- Evolutionary history
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
__NOTOC__ Leiopelma is a genus of New Zealand primitive frogs, belonging to the suborder Archaeobatrachia. It is the only genus in the monotypic family Leiopelmatidae. The leiopelmatids' unique and ancestral features indicate they are part of an ancient lineage. While some taxonomists have suggested combining the North American frogs of the genus Ascaphus in the family Ascaphidae with the New Zealand frogs of the genus Leiopelma in the family Leiopelmatidae, the current consensus is that these two groups constitute two separate families. The three extant species of Leiopelmatidae are only found in New Zealand.
==Overview== The New Zealand primitive frogs' defining characteristics are their extra vertebrae (for a total of nine) and the remains of the tail muscles (the tail itself is absent in adults, although it is present in the younger frogs, which need the extra skin surface until their lungs are fully developed). These ancestral characteristics are shared with the family Ascaphidae (found only in North America), which is of the same suborder.