Lechriodus

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Cannibal frogs
Fletcher's Frog (Lechriodus fletcheri)
Fletcher's Frog (Lechriodus fletcheri)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Subclass: Lissamphibia
Order: Anura
Suborder: Neobatrachia
Family: Myobatrachidae
Subfamily: Limnodynastinae
Genus: Lechriodus
Boulenger, 1882
Species

4, see text

The Lechriodus is a genus of ground-dwelling from the family Myobatrachidae, native to eastern Australia and New Guinea. They are medium-sized frogs and the dorsal skin has a sandpaper-like texture. They are unique amongst myobatrachids genera in that there is more species that occur on New Guinea (3 spp.) than in Australia (1 sp.).

They inhabit rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests and are active after heavy rains in summer and rarely seen during drier conditions. Breeding takes place in temporary pools and small streams and the tadpoles as well as the frogs are noted for their cannibalistic behaviour, due to which they are commonly known as cannibal frogs.

[edit] Species

Common name Binomial name
Lechriodus aganoposis Zweifel, 1972
Fletcher's Frog Lechriodus fletcheri (Boulenger, 1890)
Wokan Cannibal Frog Lechriodus melanopyga (Doria, 1875)
Arfak Cannibal Frog Lechriodus platyceps Parker, 1940