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__NOTOC__ The Leiopelmatidae, or New Zealand primitive frogs, are a family belonging to the suborder Archaeobatrachia. Their 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 Ascaphidae family 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.〔J.M. Conlon et al. / Peptides 30 (2009) 1069–1073〕 The four extant species of Leiopelmatidae are only found in New Zealand.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/page.aspx?id=33152 )〕 ==Overview== Their defining characteristics are their extra vertebrae (bringing the total to 9) 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). The family Ascaphidae (found only in North America), of the same suborder, shares these primitive characteristics, and hence the two have often been described as related, or even part of the same family. Late jump recovery is unique in the Leiopelmatidae. When leiopelmatid species jump, they land in a "belly flop" fashion, repositioning their limbs for takeoff for the next jump only after hitting the ground with the ventral surface of their torsos. The appearance of early jump recovery in more advanced taxa is a key innovation in anuran evolution. They are unusually small frogs, only in length. Most species lay their eggs in moist ground, typically under rocks or vegetation. After hatching, the tadpoles nest in the male's back, all without the need for standing or flowing water. However, Hochstetter's frog lays its eggs in shallow ponds and has free-living tadpoles, although they do not swim far from the place of hatching, or even feed, before metamorphosing into adult frogs. Lifespans may be long (more than 30 years) for such small organisms. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Leiopelmatidae」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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