New Zealand Frogs & Reptiles

11003-25019 Takitimu gecko (Mokopirirakau cryptozoicus) detail of pattern on back. Spence Burn, Southland *

11003-05123 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) tailed froglet. Otago Peninsula *

11003-97009 Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) on Stephens Island, often 'share' burrows with fairy prion, although the relationship is distinctly one-sided. Stephens Island tuatara contribute to around a 28% failure of all prion eggs laid, either through direct predation, through interference by causing desertion or the exclusion of breeding parents from the nesting chamber, or by the direct predation of chicks. Stephens Island *

DSC_1169 Hura te ao gecko (Mokopirirakau sp.) underside of female. Oteake Conservation Park, North Otago *

11003-14223 Jewelled gecko (Naultinus gemmeus) female with a captured blowfly. Jewelled geckos are the southernmost green gecko species in NZ. They are isolated from all other Naultinus geckos in NZ. There are several geographical colour variants. Eastern Otago animals such as this individual, have a deep blue mouth lining and tongue. Otago Peninsula *

DSC_1216 Hura te ao gecko (Mokopirirakau galaxias) head. Young female on rock bluff. Oteake Conservation Park, North Otago *

11003-14214 Jewelled gecko (Naultinus gemmeus) youngster perched on Rachel's nose *

11003-91002 Robust skink (Oligosoma alani) occurs on a number of island groups from Coromandel to North Cape. A distinctive large, 'chunky' nocturnal species, requiring a moist humid environment. It is often most abundant in areas heavily burrowed by seabirds. Middle Island, Mercury Group *

DSC_5684 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) these yellow individuals (male with large gravid female), exhibit the colour abnormality xanthochromism, sometimes known as xanthism. Golden bell frogs are distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Te Kuiti *

11003-06118 Aupouri green gecko (Naultinus 'north cape') adult male on Cyathodes showing pale blue underside *

11003-34010 Poor Knights gecko (Dactylocnemis 'poor knights') feeding on nectar from a Xeronema flower *

11003-05017 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) pair on lichen covered beech trunk with female in left. Introduced into the South Island of NZ from Tasmania in 1875. The only known southern hemisphere frog that can withstand being frozen solid. Okarito *

11003-05021 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) pair on moss with female in foreground. Introduced into the South Island of NZ from Tasmania in 1875. The only known southern hemisphere frog that can withstand being frozen solid. Okarito *

DSC_0615 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) female on moss. Introduced into the South Island of NZ from Tasmania in 1875. The only known southern hemisphere frog that can withstand being frozen solid. Makarora *

11003-05001 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) male sitting on reed. Male frogs can be heard calling even in the depths of mid-winter, and indeed tadpoles have been found in ice covered pools in winter. This is the only known southern hemisphere frog that can withstand being frozen solid *

11003-05012 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) developing eggs laid in a pond in mid-winter. The frogs were Introduced into the South Island of NZ from Tasmania in 1875. They are the only known southern hemisphere frogs that can withstand being frozen solid. Otago Peninsula *

P_1010062 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) developing eggs laid in a pond in mid-winter. The frogs were Introduced into the South Island of NZ from Tasmania in 1875. They are the only known southern hemisphere frogs that can withstand being frozen solid. Otago Peninsula *

11003-05014 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) tadpoles recently emerged from developing eggs laid in a pond in mid-winter. The frogs were Introduced into the South Island of NZ from Tasmania in 1875. They are the only known southern hemisphere frogs that can withstand being frozen solid. Otago Peninsula *

11003-05102 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) tadpole with hind legs. Otago Peninsula *

11003-05005 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) tadpole with hind legs. Otago Peninsula *

11003-05123 Whistling frog (Litoria ewingii) tailed froglet. Otago Peninsula *

11003-03001 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) adult male. This species is distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Tauranga *

11003-03007 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) unusually marked gravid female. This species is distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Napier *

DSC_5684 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) these yellow individuals (male with large gravid female), exhibit the colour abnormality xanthochromism, sometimes known as xanthism. Golden bell frogs are distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Te Kuiti *

DSC_8250 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) an off-white (amelanotic) variant sub-adult - resulting from a genetic mutation which is inhibiting pigment expression. Ranoidea aurea can be distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) *

11003-03021 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) large tadpole with small hind legs. Auckland *

11003-03024 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) large tadpole with small hind legs. Auckland *

11003-03107 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) tadpole with hind legs. Auckland *

11003-03117 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) young froglet. Distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Tauranga *

DSC_1052 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) froglet. Distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Auckland *

11003-03004 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) male croaking in pond. Distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Tauranga *

11003-03006 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) pair underwater in 'amplexus'. Female frog is larger than the male. Distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Tauranga

11003-03016 Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) resting in pond amongst water lilies. Distinguished by the presence of enlarged distal pads on the toes, which are absent in the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis). Tauranga *

11003-04002 Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) adult female. This species can be distinguished from the Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) by the presence of a vertebral stripe and warts on the back. Otago Peninsula *

11003-04003 Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) adult male. This species can be distinguished from the Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) by the presence of a vertebral stripe and warts on the back. Otago Peninsula *

11003-04006 Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) adult female. This species can be distinguished from the Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) by the presence of a vertebral stripe and warts on the back. Otago Peninsula *

11003-04009 Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) can be distinguished from the Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) by the presence of a vertebral stripe and warts on the back. Courting pair in spring. Otago Peninsula *

11003-04110 Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) large tadpole.This frog species can be distinguished from the Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) by the presence of a vertebral stripe and warts on the back. Katikati *

11003-04117 Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) large tadpole.This frog species can be distinguished from the Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) by the presence of a vertebral stripe and warts on the back. Katikati *

11003-04105 Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) tailed froglet.This species can be distinguished from the Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) by the presence of a vertebral stripe and warts on the back. Katikati

11003-04004 Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) adult female showing bright blue flash markings on groin and hind legs. This species can be distinguished from the Green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) by the presence of a vertebral stripe and warts on the back. Katikati

11003-04802 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) adult female. This unusual frog was caught in the far north of NZ on 25 October 2007. It differed from the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) in the presence of large yellow spots on the flash markings of groin and hind legs. Also has a distinctively different 'grunting' advertisement call, lacking the drawn out introductory 'growl' of the other two green frogs. For thirty years this frog had been thought extinct in Australia until it was re-discovered on the Southern Tablelands of ACT and NSW in 2009. Te Paki *

DSC_9648 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) subadult male - captured by Tony Jewell on 6 March 2022. Differs from the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) in the presence of large yellow spots on the flash markings of groin and hind legs. Also has a distinctively different 'grunting' advertisement call, lacking the drawn out introductory 'growl' of the other two green frogs. Thought to be extinct in Australia until recently when it was re-discovered on the Southern Tablelands of ACT and NSW. Wanaka *

DSC_9528 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) subadult male - captured by Tony Jewell on 6 March 2022. Differs from the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) in the presence of large yellow spots on the flash markings of groin and hind legs. Also has a distinctively different 'grunting' advertisement call, lacking the drawn out introductory 'growl' of the other two green frogs. Thought to be extinct in Australia until recently when it was re-discovered on the Southern Tablelands of ACT and NSW. Wanaka *

DSC_9545 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) adult female - one of eight caught by Rod on 31 March 2012. Differs from the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) in the presence of large yellow spots on the flash markings of groin and hind legs. Also has a distinctively different 'grunting' advertisement call, lacking the drawn out introductory 'growl' of the other two green frogs. Thought to be extinct in Australia until recently when it was re-discovered on the Southern Tablelands of ACT and NSW. Te Paki *

DSC_9552 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) adult female - one of eight caught by Rod on 31 March 2012. Differs from the Southern bell frog (Ranoidea raniformis) in the presence of large yellow spots on the flash markings of groin and hind legs. Also has a distinctively different 'grunting' advertisement call, lacking the drawn out introductory 'growl' of the other two green frogs. Thought to be extinct in Australia until recently when it was re-discovered on the Southern Tablelands of ACT and NSW. Te Paki *

DSC_0924 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) large tadpole from a wild New Zealand population. Thought to be extinct in Australia until recently - now tagged 'western raniformis'. Te Paki *

DSC_0967 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) two large tadpoles from a wild New Zealand population. Thought to be extinct in Australia until recently - now tagged 'western raniformis'. Te Paki *

DSC_0991 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) froglet from a wild New Zealand population. Thought to be extinct in Australia until recently - now tagged 'western raniformis'. Te Paki *

DSC_0972 Yellow-spotted bell frog (Ranoidea castanea) small froglet showing flash markings on groin and hind legs, from a wild New Zealand population. Thought to be extinct in Australia until recently - now tagged 'western raniformis'. Te Paki *