Amphibians of Tonga — No native or established species recorded
Understand that a search for “Amphibians of Tonga” returns no native or established amphibian species. Authoritative biodiversity sources list no confirmed amphibian species that meet the criteria for Tonga.
Recognize why this result occurs. Tonga is a chain of oceanic islands with long stretches of salt water between landmasses. Amphibians are poor long‑distance ocean dispersers because their skin and eggs do not tolerate salt. Tonga has no recent land connections to continental Asia or Australasia. For these technical and historical reasons, natural colonization by amphibians is extremely unlikely. Human introductions can change that, but Tonga has had relatively few amphibian introductions compared with other Pacific islands.
Consider close alternatives and what to check next. Some nearby Pacific islands have recorded introduced frogs or toads (for example, cane toads have been moved to parts of the Pacific), so examine introduced‑species records for the region if you seek amphibian occurrences. Also explore related, well‑documented groups in Tonga: reptiles (geckos and skinks), native birds, freshwater invertebrates, and marine life. For authoritative data, consult IUCN, GBIF, AmphibiaWeb, and Tonga’s government environment records when researching introductions or regional comparisons.
