This list of amphibians recorded in Japan is primarily based on the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

Red List, which details the conservation status of some ninety-four species. Of these, four are assessed as critically endangered (the endemic Amakusa salamander, Mikawa salamander, Tosashimizu salamander, and Tsukuba clawed salamander), twenty-seven as endangered, fourteen as vulnerable, eleven as near threatened, and thirty-eight as of least concern. According to statistics accompanying the 2020 Japanese Ministry of the Environment (MoE) Red List, ninety-one species and subspecies are to be found, but the conservation status of only sixty-seven is detailed. Of these, five taxa are critically endangered from a national perspective, twenty are endangered, twenty-two vulnerable, nineteen near threatened, and one

data deficient A data deficient (DD) species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as offering insufficient information for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made. This does not necessaril ...

. As of January 2023, for their protection, forty-one species have been designated National Endangered Species by Cabinet Order in accordance with the 1992 Act on Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Order: Anura (frogs)

*Family: Bufonidae **Genus: '' Bufo'' *** Asiatic toad, ''Bufo gargarizans'' **** Miyako toad, ''B. g. miyakonis''( endemic subspecies) (MoE: NT) ***

Japanese common toad The Japanese common toad, Japanese warty toad or Japanese toad (''Bufo japonicus'') is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to Japan. Its natural habitats are subarctic forests, temperate forests, temperate shrubland, swamps ...

, ''Bufo japonicus'' (endemic) ****''B. j. japonicus'' ****''B. j. formosus'' *** Japanese stream toad, ''Bufo torrenticola'' (endemic) **Genus: ''

Rhinella ''Rhinella'', commonly known as South American toads, beaked toads or Rio Viejo toads, is a genus of true toads native to Neotropical parts of Mexico, Central and South America. Additionally, the cane toad has been introduced to Australia, the Ca ...

'' *** Cane toad, ''Rhinella marina'' ( introduced) *Family: Dicroglossidae **Genus: ''

Fejervarya ''Fejervarya'' is a genera of frogs in the family Dicroglossidae found in Asia. First proposed in 1915 by István József Bolkay, a Hungarian naturalist, the genus did not see widespread adoption at first. As late as the 1990s it was generally i ...

'' *** Indian rice frog, ''Fejervarya limnocharis'' ***

Marsh frog The marsh frog (''Pelophylax ridibundus'') is a species of water frog native to Europe and parts of western Asia. Description The marsh frog is the largest type of frog in most of its range, with males growing to a size around 100 mm (3.9 ...

, ''Fejervarya kawamurai'' *** Sakishima rice frog, ''Fejervarya sakishimensis'' **Genus: '' Limnonectes'' *** Namie's frog, ''Limnonectes namiyei'' (endemic) *Family: Hylidae **Genus: ''

Dryophytes ''Dryophytes'' is a genus of Ameroasian tree frogs in the family Hylidae. They are found mostly in North America, but the genus also includes three species found in eastern Asia. Description ''Dryophytes'' consists of small tree-dwelling frog ...

'' ***

Japanese tree frog ''Hyla japonica'', commonly known as the Japanese tree frog, is a species of anuran native to Japan, China, and Korea. ''H. japonica'' is unique in its ability to withstand extreme cold, with some individuals showing cold resistance at temperature ...

, ''Dryophytes japonicus'' **Genus: ''

Hyla ''Hyla'' is a genus of frogs in the tree frog family Hylidae. As traditionally defined, it was a wastebasket genus with more than 300 species found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and across the Americas. After a major revision of the family most of th ...

'' ***

Hallowell's tree frog Hallowell's tree frog (''Hyla hallowellii'') is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. Etymology The specific name, ''hallowellii'', is in honor of American herpetologist Edward Hallowell.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (201 ...

, ''Hyla hallowellii'' (endemic) *Family:

Microhylidae The Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, are a geographically widespread family of frogs. The 683 species are in 63 genera and 11 subfamilies, which is the largest number of genera of any frog family. Evolution A molecular phylo ...

**Genus: '' Microhyla'' ***, ''Microhyla okinavensis'' (endemic) *** Yaeyama narrow-mouthed toad, ''Microhyla kuramotoi'' (endemic) *Family:

Pipidae The Pipidae are a family of primitive, tongueless frogs. The 41 species in the family Pipidae are found in tropical South America (genus ''Pipa'') and sub-Saharan Africa (the three other genera). Description Pipid frogs are highly aquatic and ...

**Genus: '' Xenopus'' *** African clawed frog, ''Xenopus laevis'' (introduced) *Family: Ranidae **Genus: '' Babina'' ***

Holst's frog Holst's frog (''Babina holsti'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It occurs on mountains of the Okinawa and Tokashiki islands. It lives in primary or recovered secondary broad-leaved ev ...

, ''Babina holsti'' (endemic) ***

Otton frog The Otton frog (''Babina subaspera''), is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to the islands of Amami Ōshima and Kakeromajima in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland fores ...

, ''Babina subaspera'' (endemic) **Genus: ''

Glandirana ''Glandirana'' is a genus of true frogs (family Ranidae) found in the East Asia (eastern China, Korea, Japan, and possibly Primorsky Krai in the Russian Far East). The name means ‘glandular frog’. ''Glandirana'' is a genus split off from ...

'' *** Japanese wrinkled frog, ''Glandirana rugosa'' (endemic) *** Proto wrinkled frog, ''Glandirana reliqua''(endemic) *** Sado wrinkled frog, ''Glandirana susurra'' (endemic) **Genus: '' Lithobates'' ***

American bullfrog The American bullfrog (''Lithobates catesbeianus''), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is a large true frog native to eastern North America. It typically inhabits large permanent water bodies such as swamps, po ...

, ''Lithobates catesbeianus'' (introduced) **Genus: ''

Nidirana ''Nidirana'' is a genus of true frogs (Ranidae) from East and Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-easter ...

'' *** Yaeyama harpist frog, ''Nidirana okinavana '' , (endemic) **Genus: '' Odorrana'' ***, ''Odorrana splendida'' (endemic) *** Amami tip-nosed frog, ''Odorrana amamiensis'' (endemic) *** Greater tip-nosed frog, ''Odorrana supranarina'' (endemic) ***

Ishikawa's frog Ishikawa's frog (''Odorrana ishikawae'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to Okinawa Island, one of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It has been described as the most beautiful frog in Japan. Its natural habitats are tempera ...

, ''Odorrana ishikawae'' (endemic) ***

Ryukyu tip-nosed frog The Ryukyu tip-nosed frog, Ryukyu Island frog, or Okinawa tip-nosed frog (''Odorrana narina'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to Okinawa Island, in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. It occurs in streams in primary or well- ...

, ''Odorrana narina'' (endemic) *** Utsunomiya's tip-nosed frog, ''Odorrana utsunomiyaorum'' (endemic) **Genus: ''

Pelophylax ''Pelophylax'' is a genus of true frogs widespread in Eurasia, with a few species ranging into northern Africa. This genus was erected by Leopold Fitzinger in 1843 to accommodate the green frogs of the Old World, which he considered distinct fro ...

'' *** Black-spotted pond frog, ''Pelophylax nigromaculatus '' *** Daruma pond frog, ''Pelophylax porosus'' **** Nagoya Daruma pond frog, ''P. p. brevipodus''(endemic subspecies) (MoE: EN) **** Tokyo Daruma pond frog, ''P. p. porosus''(endemic subspecies) (MoE: NT) **Genus: ''

Rana Rana may refer to: Astronomy * Rana (crater), a crater on Mars * Delta Eridani or Rana, a star People, groups and titles * Rana (name), a given name and surname (including a list of people and characters with the name) * Rana (title), a histori ...

'' *** Dwarf Tago's brown frog, ''Rana kyoto''(endemic) *** Dybowski's frog, ''Rana dybowskii'' *** Goto Tago's brown frog, ''Rana matsuoi''(endemic) *** Ezo brown frog, ''Rana pirica'' ***

Japanese brown frog The Japanese brown frog (''Rana japonica'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae, endemic to Japan. Its natural habitats are temperate grassland, rivers, swamps, irrigated land, and seasonally flooded agricultural land. Characteristics De ...

, ''Rana japonica'' (endemic) ***

Montane brown frog The montane brown frog or Nikkō frog (''Rana ornativentris'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to Japan. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, rivers, swamps, freshwater marshes, arable land ...

, ''Rana ornativentris'' (endemic) ***, ''Rana neba'' (endemic) *** Oki Tago's brown frog, ''Rana okiensis''(MoE: NT, as ''R. tagoi okiensis'')(endemic) ***, ''Rana ulma'' (endemic) ***

Ryukyu brown frog The Ryūkyū brown frog (''Rana kobai'') is a species of true frog endemic to the Ryūkyū Islands, specifically Okinawa and perhaps neighboring islands.Matsui (2007) Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtr ...

, ''Rana kobai'' (endemic) ***

Stream brown frog The stream brown frog or Napparagawa frog (''Rana sakuraii'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to Japan. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually ...

, ''Rana sakuraii'' (endemic) ***

Tago's brown frog The Tago's brown frog or simply Tago frog (''Rana tagoi'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae endemic to Japan. It is widely distributed within Japan and found on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, as well as on some outlying islands. There a ...

, ''Rana tagoi'' (endemic) ***

Tsushima brown frog The Tsushima brown frog or Tsushima leopard frog (''Rana tsushimensis'') is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to the Tsushima Island is an island of the Japanese archipelago situated in-between the Tsushima Strait and K ...

, ''Rana tsushimensis'' (endemic) *** Yakushima brown frog, ''Rana yakushimensis'' (MoE: NT, as ''R. tagoi yakushimensis'')(endemic) *Family: Rhacophoridae **Genus: ''

Buergeria ''Buergeria'' is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, and the sole genus of subfamily Buergeriinae. They are the sister taxon for all the other rhacophorids (subfamily Rhacophorinae). This position is firmly supported by the available e ...

'' *** Kajika frog, ''Buergeria buergeri '' (endemic) ***

Ryukyu kajika frog The Ryukyu Kajika frog, Japanese Buerger's frog, or Japanese stream treefrog (''Buergeria japonica'') is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is found in the Ryukyu Islands (Japan) and in Taiwan. Habitat ''Buergeria japonica'' is a c ...

, ''Buergeria japonica'' (endemic) *** Yaeyama kajika frog, ''Buergeria choui'' **Genus: ''

Polypedates ''Polypedates'' is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, the shrub frogs and Paleotropic tree frogs. They belong to subfamily Rhacophorinae. Members of this genus are collectively known as whipping frogs. They occur in eastern and sout ...

'' *** Common tree frog, ''Polypedates leucomystax'' (introduced) **Genus: ''

Kurixalus ''Kurixalus'' is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. The taxonomy of small rhacophids is difficult and has been subject to many revisions, but molecular genetic data do support monophyly of ''Kurixalus''. These frogs are distributed fr ...

'' *** Eiffinger's tree frog, ''Kurixalus eiffingeri'' **Genus: ''

Zhangixalus ''Zhangixalus'' is a genus of frogs in the subfamily Rhacophorinae, family (biology), family Rhacophoridae. They are collectively known as Zhang's treefrogs. They occur in the Eastern Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Japan, and southeast Asia. ...

'' *** Amami green tree frog, ''Zhangixalus amamiensis'' (endemic) ***

Forest green tree frog ''Zhangixalus arboreus'', also known as the forest green tree frog and Kinugasa flying frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae endemic to Japan. The natural habitats of ''Z. arboreus'' are subtropical or tropical moist lowland fo ...

, ''Zhangixalus arboreus'' (endemic) *** Okinawa green tree frog, ''Zhangixalus viridis'' (endemic) *** Owston's green tree frog, ''Zhangixalus owstoni'' (endemic) *** Schlegel's green tree frog, ''Zhangixalus schlegelii'' (endemic)

Order: Caudata (salamanders)

*Family: Cryptobranchidae **Genus: ''

Andrias ''Andrias'' is a genus of giant salamanders. It includes the largest salamanders in the world, with ''A. japonicus'' reaching a length of , and ''A. sligoi'' reaching . While extant species are only known from East Asia, several extinct species i ...

'' *** Chinese giant salamander ''Andrias davidianus'' (introduced) *** Japanese giant salamander, ''Andrias japonicus'' (endemic) *Family: Hynobiidae **Genus: '' Hynobius'' ***

Abe's salamander The Abe's salamander (''Hynobius abei'') is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae. It is endemic to Japan and known from southwestern Honshu in northern parts of the Fukui, Kyoto, and Hyōgo Prefectures. The specific name ''abei'' ...

, ''Hynobius abei'' (endemic) (MoE: CR) *** Abu salamander, ''Hynobius abuensis'' (endemic) *** Aki salamander, ''Hynobius akiensis'' (endemic) ***, ''Hynobius amakusaensis'' (endemic) (MoE: CR) *** Chikushi-buchi salamander, ''Hynobius oyamai'' (endemic) *** Chūgoku-buchi salamander, ''Hynobius sematonotos'' (endemic) ***

Ezo salamander The Ezo salamander (''Hynobius retardatus''), also known as the Hokkaido salamander, Noboribetsu salamander, or Ezo Sanshouo in Japanese is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae. Prior to 1923 the species was also classified by the bin ...

, ''Hynobius retardatus'' (endemic) (MoE: DD) *** Geiyo salamander, ''Hynobius geiyoensis''(endemic) *** Blotched salamander, ''Hynobius naevius'' (endemic) *** Hakuba salamander, ''Hynobius hidamontanus'' (endemic) *** Hida salamander, ''Hynobius kimurae'' (endemic) *** Highland salamander, ''Hynobius utsunomiyaorum'' (endemic) *** Hokuriku salamander, ''Hynobius takedai'' (endemic) ***'' Hynobius oni''(endemic) ***'' Hynobius tagoi''(endemic) ***, ''Hynobius hirosei'' (endemic) *** Iwaki salamander, ''Hynobius sengokui''(endemic) *** Iwami salamander, ''Hynobius iwami'' (endemic) *** Iyoshima salamander, ''Hynobius kuishiensis'' (endemic) *** Izumo salamander, ''Hynobius kunibiki''(endemic) *** Japanese black salamander, ''Hynobius nigrescens'' (endemic) ***, ''Hynobius fossigenus'' (endemic) *** Kato's salamander, ''Hynobius katoi'' (endemic) *** Mahoroba salamander, ''Hynobius guttatus'' (endemic) ***, ''Hynobius mikawaensis'' (endemic) (MoE: CR) *** Mitsjama salamander, ''Hynobius nebulosus'' (endemic) *** Ōdaigahara salamander, ''Hynobius boulengeri'' (endemic) *** Ōita salamander, ''Hynobius dunni'' (endemic) *** Oki salamander, ''Hynobius okiensis'' (endemic) ***, ''Hynobius osumiensis'' (endemic) *** San'in salamander, ''Hynobius setoi'' (endemic) *** Setouchi salamander, ''Hynobius setouchi'' (endemic) *** Smaller blotched salamander, ''Hynobius stejnegeri'' (endemic) ***, ''Hynobius shinichisatoi'' (endemic) *** Stejneger's oriental salamander, ''Hynobius ikioi'' (endemic) *** Sumida salamander, ''Hynobius sumidai''(endemic) *** Tōhoku salamander, ''Hynobius lichenatus'' (endemic) *** Tokyo salamander, ''Hynobius tokyoensis'' (endemic) *** Tosashimizu salamander, ''Hynobius tosashimizuensis'' (endemic) (MoE: CR) *** Tsurugi salamander, ''Hynobius tsurugiensis'' (endemic) ***

Tsushima salamander The Tsushima salamander (''Hynobius tsuensis'') is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae, endemic to Japan. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, ...

, ''Hynobius tsuensis'' (endemic) *** Yamaguchi salamander, ''Hynobius bakan'' (endemic) *** Yamato salamander, ''Hynobius vandenburghi'' (endemic) **Genus: ''

Onychodactylus The genus ''Onychodactylus'', commonly known as clawed salamanders, is composed of three species, all endemic to eastern Asia. ''O. fischeri'' is found on the Korean peninsula, as well as in the Russian Far East and adjacent regions of China. ''O ...

'' ***, ''Onychodactylus intermedius'' (endemic) ***, ''Onychodactylus pyrrhonotus''(endemic) ***

Japanese clawed salamander The Japanese clawed salamander (''Onychodactylus japonicus'') is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae, endemic to Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situ ...

, ''Onychodactylus japonicus'' (endemic) ***, ''Onychodactylus kinneburi'' (endemic) *** Tadami clawed salamander, ''Onychodactylus fuscus'' (endemic) ***, ''Onychodactylus nipponoborealis'' (endemic) ***, ''Onychodactylus tsukubaensis'' (endemic) (MoE: CR) **Genus: ''

Salamandrella ''Salamandrella'' is a genus of salamanders in the family Hynobiidae. It contains these species: *''Salamandrella keyserlingii ''Salamandrella keyserlingii'', the Siberian salamander, is a species of salamander found in Northeast Asia. I ...

'' *** Siberian salamander, ''Salamandrella keyserlingii'' *Family:

Salamandridae Salamandridae is a family of salamanders consisting of true salamanders and newts. Salamandrids are distinguished from other salamanders by the lack of rib or costal grooves along the sides of their bodies and by their rough skin. Their skin is v ...

**Genus: ''

Cynops The fire belly newt or fire newt is a genus (''Cynops'') of newts native to Japan and China. All of the species show bright yellow or red bellies, but this feature is not unique to this genus. Their skin contains a toxin that can be harmful if i ...

'' *** Japanese fire belly newt, ''Cynops pyrrhogaster'' (endemic) ***

Sword-tail newt The sword-tail newt, sword-tailed newt, yellow-bellied newt, or Okinawa newt (''Cynops ensicauda'') is a species of true salamander from the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan. It has recently been placed on Japan's Red List of Threatened Amphibians. ...

, ''Cynops ensicauda'' (endemic) ****''C. e. ensicauda'' ****''C. e. popei'' **Genus: ''

Echinotriton ''Echinotriton'' is a genus of salamanders in the family Salamandridae. Species It contains the following species: References

Newts Amphibians of Asia Amphibian genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Salamandridae-stub ...

'' ***

Anderson's crocodile newt Anderson's crocodile newt, Anderson's newt, Ryukyu spiny newt, or Japanese warty newt (''Echinotriton andersoni'') is a species of salamander in the family Salamandridae found in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, and, at least formerly, Mount Guanyin ( ...

, ''Echinotriton andersoni'' (endemic) *** Raffaelli's spiny crocodile newt, ''Echinotriton raffaellii''(endemic)

Japanese names

The Japanese names for the taxa found in Japan have been collated and published by the .

References

External links

Invasive Species of Japan: Amphibians
{{Asia topic, List of amphibians of *

Amphibians Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbore ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Order: Anura (frogs)

Order: Caudata (salamanders)

Japanese names

See also

References

External links