Geocrinia

Geocrinia
Geocrinia laevis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Myobatrachidae
Subfamily: Myobatrachinae
Genus: Geocrinia
Blake, 1973
Species

See text

Distribution of Geocrinia

Geocrinia is a genus of frogs in the family Myobatrachidae. These frogs are endemic to Australia. Two species are known from southeastern Australia (Victoria and Tasmania), while one is known from southeastern Western Australia.[1][2]

All the species in this genus were at some point referred to as Crinia. Further studies showed there was some considerable differences between this group of frogs and Crinia. These differences included; a slightly sturdier body, smoother skin on the ventral surface and the greatest difference, the reproductive nature, laying the eggs outside of water.

Until 2022, four other species in Western Australia were also classified in this genus, but a phylogenetic study reclassified them into the new genus Anstisia. Species of Geocrinia develop initially in the egg then hatch when sufficient rain falls for them to complete their larval development in water, while Anstisia go through the tadpole stage entirely on land in the egg capsule.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Frost was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cogger 2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Webster, Grant N.; Bool, Ian (2022-06-14). "A new genus for four myobatrachid frogs from the South Western Australian Ecoregion". Zootaxa. 5154 (2): 127–151. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5154.2.2. ISSN 1175-5334.