Archey's Frog.
High in the Coromandel
Ranges of New Zealand lives a special green and golden brown frog.
It is called "Archeys
Frog" and it is very small and very good at hiding. It doesn't croak
like other frogs, it makes a funny little squeak or a chirp.
Archey's Frogs were first
discovered in the bush clad hills by a man named Percy Smith in 1862.
He found two tiny frogs under a stone and he took them home in a
match box. They soon died.
Years passed by and no one
else noticed the frogs living in the bush.
When a man called Gilbert
Archey heard about the frogs he set off to Coromandel to search for
them.
He wondered how the frogs
survived because there were no ponds or streams for the tadpoles to
swim in.
He searched and searched
until he found a frog and then he found some frogs eggs.
He looked at the tiny eggs
under a microscope. He was amazed when he saw tiny tadpoles INSIDE
the eggs. These little tadpoles didn't need water. They were very
clever because they developed inside the eggs that the mother frog
laid.
When the tadpoles turned
into tiny frogs they hatched from the egg. They lashed their tails
about to help get out of the egg. Archey's frogs only grow to about
41mm. They don't croak like ordinary frogs. They make a funny little
squeak or chirp.
Archey's frogs are still
hiding in the Coromandel hills. We know that they mostly come out at
night to eat. They like small insects and grubs. They are one of New
Zealand's three endangered frogs.
Tasks
1. Answering
Questions about Archey's
Frog.
2. Making a Venn Diagram.
3. Sequence
story.
4. New Zealand Herald
Article. (Reporting back
task.)
Acknowledgements.
Books
Archey's Frog - The Discovery of
New Zealand's Tiniest Native Frog.
Andrew Crowe and Peter Campbell
Heineman (It is well worth
purchasing this book. The illustrations are wonderful and it is an
easy read.)
Photo of Archey's Frog from NZ
Forest and Bird.
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