At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Reptiles & Amphibians
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Sources disagree — IUCN's 2017 global assessment says Critically EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
Archey's frog is a tiny, ancient New Zealand frog that has changed little over a very long evolutionary history. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It has no free tadpole stage — young develop on the male's back.
Range & habitat
A few forested areas of the North Island of New Zealand.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- The amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis
- Introduced predators
- A tiny range
Why it matters
One of the most evolutionarily distinct amphibians alive, Archey's frog is a living link to deep frog history and a flagship for New Zealand's native frogs.
Sources
Sources for Archey's Frog
- IUCN Red List — look up Archey's Frog (authoritative status)
- AmphibiaWeb (UC Berkeley)
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Archey's frog special?
It belongs to an ancient lineage of New Zealand frogs that has changed little over a very long time, and it skips the free-swimming tadpole stage — froglets develop on the male's back.
Why is Archey's frog Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite the amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis, introduced predators, and its tiny range. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.