Leiopelmatidae
Leiopelma hochstetteri
The New Zealand Urfrösche ( Leiopelmatidae ) are a family of anurans whose species today only in the North Island of New Zealand or on small, rocky islands of the South Island upstream, such as Iceland Stephens (New Zealand) and Maud Iceland, occur.
They are among the most primitive anurans in the world (see: Archaeobatrachia ) and are called " living fossils ". When her next recent relatives, the North American Tail frogs ( Ascaphidae ) with which they have at least some anatomical similarities such as nine vertebrae apply. Some authors Ascaphus the two species are therefore assigned directly to the Leiopelmatidae family.
Characteristics and lifestyle
New Zealand Urfrösche are rather inconspicuous and relatively small Anura - Representatives today living species can reach up to 5 cm head -body length - with a broad head, round pupils, upper side smooth or slightly warty skin and smooth-skinned soles. Unlike many other frogs can not let them shoot out the tongue; Instead, food animals are captured by protruding the body. When they swim, they use their hind legs not at the same time (like most frogs and toads ), but alternately. New Zealand Urfrösche are nocturnal and the males do not express mating calls. However, the animals can squeal when they feel threatened. During amplexus, the female is clasped by the male in the lumbar region. There will be no aquatiles tadpole stage, but a direct development of the eggs. The nests are guarded by the adults. In two species ( Leiopelma archeyi and L. hamiltoni ) climbing the hatchlings on the back of the parents, there to complete their development.
Taxonomy
A recently four species are known, which are grouped to the genus Leiopelma:
- Genus Leiopelma Fitzinger, 1861 Type Leiopelma archeyi Turbott, 1942 - Archey Frog
- Type Leiopelma hamiltoni McCulloch, 1919 - Hamilton Frog
- Type Leiopelma hochstetteri Fitzinger, 1861 - Hochstetter frog
- Type Leiopelma pakeka Bell, Daugherty & Hay, 1998 - Maud Iceland Frog
In addition, there are numerous fossil finds also on other islands around New Zealand. These long-extinct species include:
- Leiopelma markhami Worthy, 1987
- Leiopelma auroraensis Worthy, 1987
- Leiopelma waitomoensis Worthy, 1987
The latter type was mixed with 10 cm head -body length significantly larger than current forms.
Backgrounds, hazard
Once there were only fifteen sightings of Leiopelma hamiltoni by the year 1964, the German zoologist Eugene Shoemaker and Helmut Barth took a trip to Iceland Stephens. Thus, the first film recordings ( "The Last Paradise " from 1967 can be seen in the movie ) of these frogs, whose family has existed for dinosaur age emerged.
The New Zealand Urfrösche are at risk depending on the type to critically endangered and have been eradicated on the main islands already for the most part, among others, by introduced species. Also, a fungal disease (see: chytridiomycosis ) is made for the decline of these (and many other amphibians worldwide) responsible. On Stephens Iceland also make tuatara hunt for the already severely weakened stocks of Urfrösche so that their breeding places had to be protected by lizards secure fences.
Other amphibians of New Zealand
For today's amphibian fauna of New Zealand addition to those originally native Leiopelma species only three more, introduced by man frog species - belonging to the Australian tree frogs Litoria aurea, Litoria ewingii and Litoria raniformis. Colonize Two of them - as opposed to Leiopelma - the entire South Island and Stewart Iceland.