New Zealand Primitive Frogs

The Leiopelmatidae are the family of New Zealand primitive frogs, belonging to the suborder Archaeobatrachia. The leiopelmatids' relatively primitive form indicates they have 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 Leiopelmatidae family, the current consensus is that these two groups constitute two separate families. The four extant species of Leiopelmatidae are...