A program of multi-variate discriminant analysis is used to separate approximately 900 specimens, currently identified as species of the genus Melomys, into significantly different taxa at generic, specific and subspecific level. A combination of metric characters and multistate characters is used to indicate phenetic relationships between the taxa previously identified. Metric characters are used in combination with multistate characters to provide diagnoses of genera, and species and subspecies within genera. As a result, Melomys is redefined to include only four species, rufescens, leucogaster, lutillus and frigicola, in New Guinea. Nine species are included in Paramelomys, raised from its previous subgeneric rank. Two species formerly included in Melomys (lanosus and rattoides) are removed to a new genus. Melomys fellowsi is removed to another new genus. Some comments on the generic disposition of extralimital species are made.

A program of stepwise discriminant analysis was used to distinguish seven groups of Papuan Rana believed, on ecological and behavioural characters, to constitute distinct species. Following the use of this method, four of these groups were associated with specific names in the literature, whereas three others could not be associated positively with any literature names and so are described as new species. Small samples from the eastern Indonesian islands and the east Melanesian islands made possible a comment on the identity of Rana occurring there. A synopsis of all species of Rana occurring in the area extending from the Indonesian islands of Timor and Seram to the Solomon Is is presented, and means of identifying species on the New Guinea mainland (by multivariate analysis or by dichotomous keys) are provided. A note on the chromosomes of some species is included.

Four new species (Litoria havina, L. mucro, L. pronimia and L. ollauro), whose morphology and known or assumed breeding behaviour suggest that they are related to Litoria iris, are described. Three of these species show marked sexual dimorphism in that the snout of the male bears a dermal 'spike', whereas the snout of the female is truncate. The anatomy of this structure is described and it is speculated that glands on the snout are involved in olfactory stimulation during courtship.

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Examination of man-made deposits of fossil bones spanning more than 10,000 years in the New Guinea highlands revealed extensive accumulation of the remains of fruit bats. Of three species represented in the deposit, one is described as belonging to a new genus and species, a second is Dobsonia moluccensis and the third is Rousettus stresemanni. The last two are compared with modern examples of these two species in New Guinea and comments are made on the relative proportions of the three species through the deposit.