B chromosomes are known from 26 species of salamanders and frogs, equivalent to about 2% of amphibian species that have been karyotyped. In most cases, the structure of amphibian B chromosomes has not been extensively investigated. The exceptions are the B chromosomes of Hochstetter’s frog, Leiopelma hochstetteri, from New Zealand, and the Coastal Giant salamander, Dicamptodon tenebrosus, from North America. Dicamptodon tenebrosus carries from 0 to 10 non-heterochromatic, telocentric B chromosomes per individual, averaging 0 to 3.4 B chromosomes per individual in populations throughout its extensive range. The B chromosomes of L. hochstetteri occur in frequencies averaging from 0 to 11.4 per individual in different populations, with a known maximum of 15 B chromosomes. Amphibian B chromosomes vary in size, heterochromatin, occurrence and frequency. They are commensurate in size and structure with the rest of the A set of chromosomes of the same species in which they occur. The B chromosomes are at least partly composed of repetitive DNA sequences which exist in numerous copies throughout the autosomes, in conformity to an hypothesis of intraspecific B chromosome origins.

Chromosomally, Leiopelma archeyi is extremely similar to L. hamiltoni, a closely related species. Both have 2n = 18 chromosomes. Contrary to a previous report, the nucleolar organizer region and secondary constriction in L. archeyi are near the telomere of the smallest, telocentric chromosome, as in L. hamiltoni. The arm-length ratios of all chromosomes are virtually identical in the two species, expect for chromosomes 2 and 3, which show evidence of a past translocation. However, L. archeyi has much less heterochromatin than does L. hamiltoni, and, unlike L. hamiltoni, heteromorphic sex chromosomes are not discernable. These frogs demonstrate two stages in the evolution of sex-chromosome differentiation related to the extent of heterochromatin accumulation.