Ranoidea castanea (Yellow-spotted Bell Frog)
Ranoidea ("Litoria") castanea (Yellow-spotted Bell Frog) [Pelodryadidae; Pelodryadinae], Northland, New Zealand.
This is a highly endangered species of frog native to highland regions of south-eastern Australia and has also apparently been inadvertently introduced to New Zealand. Some of Australia's Bell Frog species were introduced to New Zealand by acclimation societies, originally only the Southern Bell Frog (Ranoidea raniformis) and Green and Golden Bell Frog (Ranoidea aurea) were thought to have been introduced, however recently frogs from the North Island have been observed with the characteristic yellow thigh spotting of Ranoidea castanea. This spotting distinguishes it from the otherwise similar R raniformis, a very close genetic relative.
In eastern Australia, where the frog is native, populations declined during the 1970's and 1980's to the point where the species was thought be extinct until a single population was rediscovered in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands in 2009 before it also crashed. Fortunately some individuals were taken into captivity and a breeding program is underway. The New Zealand population could potentially provide important genetic diversity for this breeding program.
Recently (June 2019) this species was upgraded from Endangered to Critically Endangered on the national EPBC list of threatened species.
Ranoidea castanea (Yellow-spotted Bell Frog)
Ranoidea ("Litoria") castanea (Yellow-spotted Bell Frog) [Pelodryadidae; Pelodryadinae], Northland, New Zealand.
This is a highly endangered species of frog native to highland regions of south-eastern Australia and has also apparently been inadvertently introduced to New Zealand. Some of Australia's Bell Frog species were introduced to New Zealand by acclimation societies, originally only the Southern Bell Frog (Ranoidea raniformis) and Green and Golden Bell Frog (Ranoidea aurea) were thought to have been introduced, however recently frogs from the North Island have been observed with the characteristic yellow thigh spotting of Ranoidea castanea. This spotting distinguishes it from the otherwise similar R raniformis, a very close genetic relative.
In eastern Australia, where the frog is native, populations declined during the 1970's and 1980's to the point where the species was thought be extinct until a single population was rediscovered in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands in 2009 before it also crashed. Fortunately some individuals were taken into captivity and a breeding program is underway. The New Zealand population could potentially provide important genetic diversity for this breeding program.
Recently (June 2019) this species was upgraded from Endangered to Critically Endangered on the national EPBC list of threatened species.