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HELP SAVE THE ARCHEY’S FROG

Archey’s Frog (Leiopelma archeyi)

Family: Leiopelmatidae (New Zealand Primitive Frog Family)

IUCN Conservation Status: Critically Endangered

Considered a living fossil, this tiny frog is a very unusual creature - one of the most evolutionary unique amphibians on earth, its ancestors diverged from all other frog species around 200 million years ago (around the same time that the earliest dinosaurs appeared) and it has changed little since then. Owing to its primitive biology, it differs drastically from the majority of living frogs - it has muscles in its torso that seem suited to moving a tail (despite the fact that it has no tail in its adult form), it produces toxins in glands in its neck to provide protection from predators and as it lacks the ability to produce a mating call and is functionally deaf it communicates and locates mates by producing strong-smelling pheromones. Found in only 2 sites on North Island in New Zealand as of 2021, this species’ population has plummeted in recent years due the introduction of invasive predators, the spread of pathogens (including the deadly chytridiomycosis fungus, which has been responsible for catastrophic declines in amphibian populations worldwide) and human encroachment into its already extremely limited habitat. At present the OceanaGold Corporation is seeking permission to begin gold mining operations in Coromandel, one of the last strongholds of Archey’s Frog populations, and should this be allowed to go ahead the impacts on the species as a result of habitat disruption and destruction will be catastrophic. The thought that a species that originates from a time period predating the dinosaurs would be driven to extinction in our lifetime is undoubtedly a harrowing thought, and action must be taken to save this living fossil. Please consider signing the petition linked below to play a part in protecting the Archey’s Frog and other protected species that share its range - signatures from outside of New Zealand seem to be accepted.

Petition: https://action.greens.org.nz/no_new_mines

Image Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/23274-Leiopelma-archeyi

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ROUND 1 POLL 23

Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio)

Archey’s Frog (Leiopelma archeyi)

Voting ended onSep 26, 2023

Strawberry Poison Dart Frog: Named for their iconic bright red colouration, sometimes featuring blue hind legs, (hence the colloquial name “blue jeans frog,”) unusual colour variations occur in the Bocas del Toro archipelago off the coast of Panama. Morphs with blue and green bodies or white bellies appear, as well as some males with tan vocal pouches that fade when removed from their territory. These territories are approximately 3 m2 in size and defended ferociously, particularly by brighter-coloured males which are preferred by females. Eggs are laid on the ground and kept hydrated by the males until they hatch, when females carry individual tadpoles to bromeliad flowers where she feeds them with unfertilized eggs. Adult diets switch to primarily ants and mites, from which they get their poison.

Archey's Frog: Found only in Northern New Zealand/Aotearoa (and their smallest frog), this species is one of the only surviving members of an archaic genus which has barely changed over the past 200 million years, making them a sort of "living fossil". They are entirely terrestrial and eggs are laid in “nests” to be cared for by the male. He coats them in antimicrobial peptides, and once they hatch, carries the 4-15 froglets on his back as they complete metamorphosis. These frogs also lack a proper voice box and can only make a variety of chirps and squeaks. Although they are critically endangered, they have successfully been bred in captivity by the Auckland Zoo.

#round 1 #strawberry poison dart frog #archey's frog

Like many endangered New Zealand species, Archey’s frog is under severe threat from introduced predators such as rats, cats, and foxes. Archey’s frog defends itself by performing a stiff-legged, leg-stretching display to advertise the poison glands around its head. Unfortunately, predators such as rats have learned not to eat the heads of these frogs, thus avoiding the poison.

Archey’s frog showcases a large number of primitive features that are holdovers from the earliest frogs. They have abdominal muscles meant for moving/wagging a tail, though of course they have no tails. The frogs also have no vocal cords and no developed eardrums, meaning that unlike most frogs, they cannot communicate via vocalisations, instead relying on scent. They have an extra vertebra when compared to other frogs, and when they hop, they land on their bellies and must scramble back to their feet instead of landing upright.

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Archey’s frog, unusually, is almost completely terrestrial. It lives and hunts entirely on earth, its young even developing completely within the egg and skipping the aquatic tadpole stage. These frogs are also known to climb several metres up into bushes and trees to search for food. It has adapted several traits to avoid drying out; a frog can lose 92% of their humidity, but once placed on wet foliage can restore itself up to 99% humidity within four hours.

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Archey’s frog is a member of the family Leiopelmatidae, or the New Zealand frogs. These frogs are considered the most primitive in the world, having diverged from other frogs and toads over 200 million years ago. The family now consists of only four species, of which Archey’s frog is the smallest at less than 38 millimeters in length.

Archey’s frog is what’s known as a living fossil, being anatomically nearly indistinguishable from the fossilized frogs dating back over 150 million years. It’s also one of the world’s most endangered frogs, with some populations having declined by 88% between 1996 and 2002.

One of the most remarkable facts about Archey's frog is that it is entirely terrestrial at all life stages. Most frogs and toads lay their eggs in water, with those eggs hatching into fish-like, aquatic tadpoles. Archey's frog, however, lays its eggs in moist nest under logs or rocks. The father guards the eggs while the young go through full metamorphosis, from tadpole to froglet, while still in the egg. After hatching, the froglets will ride on the father's back for several weeks until they can care for themselves.