A review of the status of New Zealand Leiopelma species (Anura: Leiopelmatidae), including a summary of demographic studies in Coromandel and on Maud Island

Six species of Leiopelma frog endemic to New Zealand have been described, but three are extinct. Field surveys have extended the known contemporary ranges of L. archeyi and L. hochstetteri , though sub‐fossils reveal that both L. hochstetteri and L. archeyi/hamiltoni were formerly more widespread in New Zealand than they are now. A new North Island population of terrestrial Leiopelma resembling L. archeyi has recently been found. Introduced predators and food competitors, especially Rattus , have probably had a major detrimental impact on Leiopelma . No extant species is immediately at risk of extinction, but L. hamiltoni on Stephens and Maud Islands is very restricted in range and/or numbers. Leiopelma reaches high densities (up to 8 frogs/ m 2 ) in suitable rock‐strewn habitats and can be relatively long‐lived (L. archeyi 17+ years, L. hamiltoni 23+ years). Population levels of L. archeyi have fluctuated in a Coromandel study plot sampled approximately annually over 1982–93, but on Maud Island L. hamiltoni numbers were more stable or increased slightly over the years 1983–93. Experimental translocations of L. hamiltoni were made on Maud Island (1984–85) and on Stephens Island (1992). The new colony on Maud Island has bred successfully, and locally bred young have been recruited into the population.