New Zealand Frogs: Leiopelmatidae

New Zealand frogs are rather small creatures that have wide heads with large eyes and round pupils, but no showing eardrums. They have little or no webbing between the toes on their front or hind feet. Their four feet also have smooth soles, a feature that sets them apart from similar species living in New Zealand, which have pads or suckers on their feet. New Zealand frogs are usually brown, but some are green or reddish brown. Most have dark brown to black patterns on their legs and backs. Lines of raised bumps on their backs and other small bulges on their bellies, legs, and/or feet hold poison. These bumps are called granular (GRAN-yoo-ler) glands. When a predator bites one of these frogs, the poison in the glands oozes out, which may cause the predator to spit out the frog, and possibly learn to leave the frogs alone in the future, too.

New Zealand frogs grow to 0.8 to 2 inches (2 to 5.1 centimeters) long from the tip of the head to the end of the rump.