Lechriodus

Cladus: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Amphibia
Subclassis: Lissamphibia
Ordo: Anura
Subordo: Neobatrachia
Familia: Limnodynastidae
Genus: Lechriodus
Species: L. aganoposis - L. fletcheri - L. melanopyga - L. platyceps

Name

Lechriodus Boulenger, 1882

Type species: Asterophrys melanopyga Doria, 1875

Synonyms

* Lechriodus Boulenger, 1882
* Batrachopsis Boulenger, 1882
* Phanerotis Boulenger, 1890

References

* Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Sal. Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 116.
* Amphibian Species of the World 5.1 Lechriodus access date 06 June 2008

Vernacular names
English: Cannibal Frogs

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.